Hilton Head, S.C. — Beaufort County deputies flooded the Yacht Cove neighborhood on Hilton Head Island on Thursday afternoon after a call about a person in distress, drawing a heavy law-enforcement presence that later cleared without a reported threat to the public.
The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office issued a Nixle alert around 1:15 p.m. Oct. 8 warning residents of increased police activity in Yacht Cove and saying there was no threat to the public. The Town of Hilton Head conveyed the same no-threat message, according to local accounts.
Lt. Daniel Allen of the sheriff’s office said officers had responded to a call of an individual in distress. Separate reporting said the sheriff’s office also described the call as involving a person in distress when reporters followed up.
Social-media posts circulating Thursday showed specialized units in the area, including a K-9 unit, bomb squad and SWAT team, and one video appeared to show a person at a second-story window with hands raised. Officials did not publicly detail those images in their alerts.
By about 3:20 p.m., authorities said they were clearing out of Yacht Cove and again stated there was no threat to the public. A second Nixle message about two hours after the first alert reported that police were leaving the neighborhood.
Sheriff’s officials did not immediately release a fuller public explanation of what prompted the specialized response. Residents were asked to expect a temporary increase in marked units while the call was handled.
