SURFSIDE BEACH, S.C. (WPDE) - The Surfside Beach Police Department arrested a man early Saturday morning after receiving calls about a gunshot at an apartment complex on Hickory Drive. When officers arrived just past 6 a.m., they found three residents standing outside who said there had been a gunshot.
No one was hurt, but the bullet did cause the fire sprinkler system to go off.
When officers found Richard Tillia Morrison, 31, in one of the apartments, they say he admitted to firing a round into his ceiling. They say Morrison said he had been drinking alcohol and was arrested without incident.
In a search of the apartment for the gun, officers seized thousands of rounds of ammunition, 3 long guns, 11 handguns, 2 upper receivers, and one suppressor (commonly referred to as a “silencer”). One of the handguns was shoulder-stock, suppressed, fully automatic .45 caliber.
Surfside Beach Police Chief Mike Fredrick said in a release all of the weapons and ammunition were seized for safekeeping, although both the suppressor and fully automatic weapon appear to be properly licensed.
Officers also seized a small amount of suspected marijuana and marijuana paraphernalia. Officers discovered that the round fired was a .410 caliber specialty self-defense round consisting of four plated .41 caliber discs and 16 plated balls of shot.
Morrison is charged with Discharging a Firearm into a Dwelling, three counts of Assault (1st Degree), and Possession of Marijuana.
SBPD Chief of Police Mike Frederick says investigators are continuing their inquiry into Morrison’s possession of the weapons, based upon his possession of the federally permitted fully automatic suppressed firearm and his status as a Concealed Weapons Permit holder. Frederick added that at least one of the weapon’s serial number may have been defaced, although that portion of the investigation is still underway as well.
SBPD investigators will coordinate with SLED in regard to the CWP and the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms attendant to the federal license issues.
