Two teens rode a dirt bike through South Carolina’s Coastal Grand Mall and crashed into a kiosk before being detained

WMBF News reports that two teenagers were taken into custody after driving a dirt bike through the interior of the Coastal Grand Mall in Myrtle Beach. The incident happened just before 11:00 AM, leaving shoppers and employees startled as the pair rode through the walkways on the motorized vehicle.

Video footage of the event shows the dirt bike moving through the mall hallways before the riders crashed into a kiosk. After the collision, the two tried to run away on foot, but officers from the Myrtle Beach police department quickly caught and detained them. No injuries were reported.

For people working at the mall, the experience was unsettling. Viorica Grigoras, a mall worker, described how the situation unfolded. “I’ve never seen something like this. It’s incredible, and it’s terrifying, of course, because you’re afraid to come to work,” Grigoras said. “This kiosk has been here for 15 years, and I’ve never seen something like this before.”

Workers describe panic and confusion as the bike sped through the building

The presence of the dirt bike caused immediate concern among people inside the building. Witnesses said the bike moved at a high rate of speed, passing shoppers who were caught off guard by the noise and movement. 

Grigoras said the uncertainty of the situation caused panic, saying, “Everyone was scared because they didn’t know if they had a gun or anything like that. Everyone was terrified; I saw the stores were closing their doors.” Sudden chaos in public spaces can spread fast, as seen when a mystery substance caused panic in a busy Tokyo shopping district.

According to another worker named Brooke, the incident was not just one quick pass through the building. She said she saw the teens circling the area several times before the final crash. “Yesterday there was two kids on a motorcycle in the mall; they kept speeding around a couple of times, they went around three times, and then they ended up hitting a kiosk,” Brooke said.

Grigoras said she saw the aftermath of the crash and the quick response from security. “There was a lot of chaos, and then all of a sudden I see a crash. A bunch of people, they were running towards that way, then someone from the security got them,” Grigoras said. 

Although the crash into the kiosk was enough to draw a crowd, the owner of the stand said it did not suffer any damage from the bike. In other cases, bystanders have stepped in directly, like when shoppers rushed to help a stranger being choked at a Target store.

After the teenagers were caught, the Myrtle Beach police department released them into the care of their parents. The incident has clearly had an impact on the workers at the Coastal Grand Mall, but there has been little communication about future safety plans. Mall management and security have declined to comment.

One employee said there has been no discussion with staff about new procedures or safety measures following the event. Workers at the mall say they remain unsure about what, if anything, will change in terms of security going forward.