Report names suspect shot by Market Common jewelry store employee during attempted armed robbery

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW) — A police report obtained by News13 names a suspect who was shot by a Market Common jewelry store employee Friday during an attempted armed robbery and provides more details about the incident.

Michael James Alexander Perez, 33, allegedly entered Jacob the Jeweler on Hackler Street Friday afternoon and said he needed their Rolexes before he was shot by a store employee, according to police.

The jewelry store employee suffered an “apparent minor injury,” according to the report. He declined treatment.

Perez allegedly dropped his gun after he was shot, according to an event report obtained by News13. He reportedly fired shots but missed.

There were two bullet holes located on a desk and an unidentified person was bleeding but was not shot, according to the report.

Perez allegedly got on a motorcycle driven by someone else and was taken to South Strand Hospital before being transported by ambulance to Grand Strand Regional Medical Center, according to the report.

The person who dropped him off left, according to the report. Police have not released any information on the person driving the motorcycle.

Surveillance video from a nearby business provided to News13 shows a man dressed in mostly black and appeared to be wearing at least one blue glove in the area. The video shows the man walking on the sidewalk with a motorcycle in the background.

The timestamp on the video is 3:42 p.m., which is about an hour before the event report says the call for the shooting was received.

Pictures from the surveillance cameras show the man getting onto the motorcycle.

Surveillance video from another business shows the man walk into the jewelry store at about 4:43 p.m. and about 20 seconds later, he runs out of the store.

As of Tuesday afternoon, Perez was still receiving treatment for his injuries, police said.

Some neighboring businesses in the Market Common said they would take extra precautions after the incident.

Brad Johnson, who owns Coin Galleries a few stores down, said he’ll be bringing his dogs into the store for security.

“We’re going to keep the door locked,” he said. “You have to be buzzed in, you have to be buzzed out. We have several surveillance cameras. We are going to install another on the outside, as all our neighbors are going to do as well. We’ve got bulletproof glass, deadbolts on the doors, sensors inside the building.”

Johnson said he chose his store’s location because he feels like it’s the safest spot.