‘Mass mayhem:’ SLED offers new details on Thursday night Horry County standoff

HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW) — A standoff in an Horry County neighborhood began as a verbal argument that dramatically escalated into a “mass mayhem” situation, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division said Monday.

Neil Wade Brown, 60, faces a raft of charges tied to the incident, including multiple felonies. He remains in custody at J. Reuben Long Detention Center.

Brown on Sept. 12 forced his way inside a South Reindeer Road home just outside of Surfside Beach shortly after 9 p.m., armed with two 9-millimeter handguns, SLED Special Agent Bradley Thompson said in a probable cause affidavit made public on Monday.

Brown began arguing with several people, who then fled toward a nearby home as he pursued them while shooting, striking a residence several times.

Brown then shot four times into the door of the home the people entered, hitting two of them who later “required extensive emergency treatment.” Brown then barricaded himself inside a home.

“While inside, Brown discharged his firearm multiple times, causing extensive damage to the residence,” Thompson wrote.

“Due to Brown discharging firearms recklessly, with no regard for the safety of the nearby innocent citizens, Horry County Police Department evacuated many residences in the community, causing mass mayhem,” Thompson wrote.

Just before 10 p.m., Horry County police confronted an armed Brown in the backyard, who fired in their direction “multiple times.”

A short exchange of fire took place, though nobody was hurt. Brown surrendered at 11:08 p.m.

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Adam Benson joined the News13 digital team in January 2024. He is a veteran South Carolina reporter with previous stops at the Greenwood Index-Journal, Post & Courier and The Sun News in Myrtle Beach. Adam is a Boston native and University of Utah graduate. Follow Adam on X, formerly Twitter, at @AdamNewshound12 . See more of his work here .

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