Two Myrtle Beach area bars, bouncers accused of contributing to deadly shooting

Two Myrtle Beach area bars are facing a wrongful death lawsuit after a Longs man was shot and killed last year.

The suit names former Barfield’s Bar and Grille and Klocker’s Tavern . It also includes Big Beach Bouncers, which provided security for Barfield’s, according to the suit.

A call to Klocker’s went unanswered and a message could not be left. A phone number for Big Beach Bouncers could not be found.

Starquan Washington, 23, died from injuries he received in a shooting outside Barfield’s at 4803 Highway 17 Bypass on Oct. 18, 2023, police said. He was one of two people shot.

Barfield’s and Klocker’s were at the time located next door to each other and shared a parking lot. After the shooting, Barfield’s closed after the South Carolina Department of Revenue filed a motion Oct. 25, 2023, for an emergency suspension and expedited hearing to revoke the bar’s alcohol permits.

A Myrtle Beach man, Kvon Tyrese Lawhorn was charged in Washington’s death. The case against Lawhorn was dismissed earlier this year, according to the Public Index.

The suit claims that while Washington was at Barfield’s, Lawhorn was carrying a concealed firearm and gave the concealed firearm to an agent or employee of Barfield’s. The employee kept Lawhorn’s firearm behind the bar until Lawhorn was ready to leave the establishment. When Lawhorn was ready to leave, he retrieved the firearm from the employee, according to the suit.

Lawhorn then left Barfield’s and went to Klocker’s, the suit said. Eventually, both Washington and Lawhorn were outside the bar where Lawhorn is accused of shooting Washington.

The suit claims that due to previous violence and other criminal activity at both Barfield’s and Klocker’s, both places had a duty to protect, screen, warn and provide security for those who came onto the premises.

Horry County Police reported to the Department of Revenue that it has responded to numerous calls for service, including noise complaints, assaults, shots fired, narcotic violations, weapon violations, fights, as well as Washington’s death on Oct. 18, 2023.

Both Barfield’s and Klocker’s was negligent in failing to screen and following security measures and laws to prevent the shooting, according to the suit.