In the summer of 2018, a chilling sequence of events unfolded on the busy streets of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, culminating in the tragic death of 27-year-old Ryan Rasheed Bryant. On the evening of Wednesday, June 27, what was planned as a drug transaction took a fatal turn. Bryant had arranged to meet with Javaline Tyree Dawkins, a 47-year-old man, for this purpose.
The situation escalated dramatically when Dawkins kidnapped Bryant.
In a desperate bid for freedom, Bryant was seen attempting to escape from the trunk of his own red 2010 Cadillac as it traveled along Highway 17 Bypass. This harrowing escape attempt ended in tragedy near 29th Avenue North, in the vicinity of the popular tourist destination Broadway at the Beach. It was there that Bryant was shot.
The sound of the gunshot was heard by an off-duty police officer who promptly reported the incident. Myrtle Beach police officers arrived at the scene around 9 p.m. and found Bryant with life-threatening injuries. They administered CPR until emergency medical services arrived and transported him to Grand Strand Medical Center. Despite their efforts, Ryan Rasheed Bryant was pronounced dead at the hospital approximately an hour after the shooting. A longtime resident of Columbus County, North Carolina, Bryant's life was cut short in the violent encounter.
Following an investigation, authorities arrested Javaline Tyree Dawkins. He was charged with a string of serious offenses, including murder, kidnapping, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. During his initial court appearance, a judge denied bond, citing the gravity of the charges, and referred the matter to a circuit court judge.
