In the late hours of a Saturday night in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, 23-year-old police officer Jacob Hancher responded to a domestic incident, a call that would ultimately be his last. On October 3, 2020, Hancher, along with other officers, arrived at an apartment in the 400 block of 14th Avenue South around 10:00 pm. Inside, a volatile situation was escalating, and as the officers approached, they were met with a barrage of gunfire.
The man inside, John Aycoth, opened fire on the
officers, turning a domestic dispute into a deadly ambush. Officer Hancher was struck and fatally wounded. A second officer also sustained injuries in the exchange. In the ensuing shootout, Aycoth was also shot and killed.
Jacob Hancher, a white male, had been a sworn police officer with the Myrtle Beach Police Department for less than a year, but his commitment to public service ran deep. Prior to joining the force, he had served as a community service officer for four years. He was also a dedicated volunteer firefighter, a passion he had pursued since high school. His colleagues and community remembered him as a dedicated public servant who cared deeply for the people he served.
An investigation into the shooting revealed the harrowing details of that night. Aycoth, the suspect, had been involved in a dispute with his girlfriend. After she broke up with him, he made threats of suicide and violence against law enforcement if they were called. When officers arrived, Aycoth was armed and waiting. He fired numerous rounds from a rifle, deliberately targeting the officers. The investigation concluded that Officer Hancher was murdered while in the performance of his official duties, responding to a call for help from a citizen he was sworn to protect. No arrests were made in connection with Hancher's death as the suspect was killed at the scene.
