Beaufort County Sheriff’s deputies in South Carolina used artificial intelligence-powered surveillance cameras to identify, track, and detain suspects involved in a shooting near Coligny Beach on Hilton Head Island. The incident occurred on the night of July 4, 2026. According to Sheriff P.J. Tanner, the camera system provided high-quality video that allowed deputies to locate the suspects' vehicle and execute a traffic stop on the Cross Island Parkway at 9:07 p.m., just minutes after the vehicle was identified on Pope Avenue at 9:02 p.m.

The surveillance equipment, manufactured by Verkada, features advanced capabilities including 360-degree panning, 32x zoom, and facial recognition software that enables law enforcement to perform targeted searches for individuals and vehicles. These cameras have been in the department's possession for three years and were deployed to Coligny Beach due to its status as a high-activity area. Following the traffic stop, six occupants were detained at the Hilton Head substation, leading to 13 criminal charges against four individuals. Jayden Hawes, 18, Quazeir Davis, 17, and Marcello Royal, 17, face charges including attempted murder and aggravated breach of peace, while Christopher Capers, 17, was charged as an accessory.

The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office intends to continue utilizing this footage for ongoing investigations. The Town of Hilton Head is expanding its camera infrastructure throughout July, adding new units from manufacturer Digital Watchdog to the beach, parking lot, and Coligny Circle areas. While the current Verkada footage is stored for up to 30 days, town-managed systems retain data for 14 days with access restricted to official purposes. Additionally, the region maintains a network of license plate reading cameras from Flock Safety, with at least 70 such devices installed across the county as of February 2026.

Beaufort County Sheriff’s deputies in South Carolina used artificial intelligence-powered surveillance cameras to identify, track, and detain suspects involved in a shooting near Coligny Beach on Hilton Head Island. The incident occurred on the night of July 4, 2026. According to Sheriff P.J. Tanner, the camera system provided high-quality video that allowed deputies to locate the suspects' vehicle and execute a traffic stop on the Cross Island Parkway at 9:07 p.m., just minutes after the vehicle was identified on Pope Avenue at 9:02 p.m.

The surveillance equipment, manufactured by Verkada, features advanced capabilities including 360-degree panning, 32x zoom, and facial recognition software that enables law enforcement to perform targeted searches for individuals and vehicles. These cameras have been in the department's possession for three years and were deployed to Coligny Beach due to its status as a high-activity area. Following the traffic stop, six occupants were detained at the Hilton Head substation, leading to 13 criminal charges against four individuals. Jayden Hawes, 18, Quazeir Davis, 17, and Marcello Royal, 17, face charges including attempted murder and aggravated breach of peace, while Christopher Capers, 17, was charged as an accessory.

The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office intends to continue utilizing this footage for ongoing investigations. The Town of Hilton Head is expanding its camera infrastructure throughout July, adding new units from manufacturer Digital Watchdog to the beach, parking lot, and Coligny Circle areas. While the current Verkada footage is stored for up to 30 days, town-managed systems retain data for 14 days with access restricted to official purposes. Additionally, the region maintains a network of license plate reading cameras from Flock Safety, with at least 70 such devices installed across the county as of February 2026.