ATLANTIC BEACH, SOUTH CAROLINA — At least 19 people were injured in a stampede at an annual motorcycle rally in Atlantic Beach, South Carolina, on Sunday morning. Horry County Fire Rescue crews responded to a stage area near South Ocean Boulevard at around 1:05 a.m. and located the patients with assistance from local law enforcement.

Three people were transported to a hospital for treatment, while other injured individuals sought care on their own. All injuries were considered non-life-threatening, according to Horry County Fire Rescue.

The incident occurred at the Black Pearl Cultural Heritage and Bike Festival, held annually over Memorial Day weekend in Atlantic Beach. The festival draws crowds of up to 40,000 people to the town each Memorial Day weekend.

In a statement, Interim Town Manager Titus Leaks said the incident was triggered by an individual who began running, causing a brief chain reaction within the crowd that lasted only seconds. He said that at no time were there any confirmed fights, weapons, or direct threats to public safety, and that the crowd reaction was brief and quickly identified and managed by law enforcement personnel already in position. Leaks said the mishap did not reflect the overall success of the event.

"SLED personnel quickly accessed the stage and took control of the situation, addressing the crowd multiple times and clearly communicating that no incident had occurred and that individuals had simply started running," he said. "The Black Pearl Cultural Heritage and Bike Festival has been held for over 40 years and continues to attract visitors from across the country because of the positive experience it provides."