2 arrests made in shooting death of Sumter father, son at Myrtle Beach bingo parlor

Two Georgetown men have been arrested in connection with a deadly armed robbery that left a Sumter father and son dead inside their Myrtle Beach-area bingo parlor last Friday.

Derrick Rivera, 29, and Bradford Britton, 40, have both been charged with two counts each of murder and armed robbery. Rivera also faces a possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime charge and a possession of a weapon by a convicted felon charge, according to a news release from Mikayla Moskov, public information officer for the Horry County Police Department.

Britton was also wanted on a fugitive warrant out of Texas for failure to appear on a narcotics charge.

The police department and Horry County Fire Department responded to reports of a shooting with multiple injuries in the 4000 block of Belle Terre Boulevard about 9:30 p.m. Friday. Upon arrival, detectives determined an attempted armed robbery had occurred and evolved into a shooting.

They found 73-year-old Stephen “Steve” Johnson Sr. and his son, 46-year-old Stephen “Sparky” Johnson Jr., shot in the Waccamaw Bingo parlor, which they owned.

Their other family businesses in Sumter include Styles by Steve, BridleStone, A Ring Around the Roses and 521 Bingo.

The shooter had already fled.

“Through this incident, our community has suffered a terrible loss, and we can only hope that the arrest of those responsible will bring those impacted some comfort,” Moskov wrote. “We will provide whatever support possible.”

During the course of the next several days, witnesses and community members were interviewed, and surveillance footage from the area of the incident was analyzed, Moskov wrote.

Britton was arrested “as a direct result” on Tuesday by Horry County Police Department and U.S. Marshals Task Force agents in the City of Georgetown while operating a vehicle previously reported to have been at the scene of the incident.

Cary Holden, of the U.S. Marshals Office, said Britton was also wanted in Barnwell County for failure to appear on a family offense charge and that he was arrested at a home.

Rivera was arrested on Thursday, according to the Horry County police, the day before the Johnsons’ 2 p.m. funeral service at the Sumter County Civic Center. He is suspected of committing the armed robbery then fleeing Horry County, according to witness reports and surveillance footage. He was ultimately located by U.S. Marshals Task Force agents in Colleton County with the assistance of the Colleton County Sheriff’s Office.

Both suspects remain in custody at the Horry County Detention Center.

The police department used its Criminal Investigations Division and its SWAT and Bloodhound teams.

“This case could not have been resolved so quickly without the assistance from our community members and law enforcement partners,” Moskov wrote. “The tips, surveillance video and tactical support provided by all involved directly contributed to these arrests.”

She wrote that anyone wanting counseling following the incident can reach out to the South Carolina Department of Mental Health for outpatient health care through the Waccamaw Center for Mental Health. To speak to someone about counseling, call (843) 347-4888.