Suspect arrested after striking pedestrians outside South Carolina church

A manhunt on Sullivan’s Island, South Carolina, ended with the arrest of a suspect accused of striking three people—including two children—with a vehicle outside a church, according to officials.

Authorities say the suspect, Justin Collin Adams, was taken into custody without incident at approximately 5:57 p.m. in the 3000 block of Jasper Boulevard. He was found on a dock behind a house across from Sunrise Presbyterian Church, where the incident occurred, and was on a boat at the time of his arrest.

According to Sullivan’s Island Police Chief Glenn Meadows, Adams was spotted by a sergeant aboard a Charleston County Aviation Unit helicopter, who then directed ground teams to his location.

The coordinated effort involved multiple federal, state, and municipal agencies, including the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office, which is now leading the criminal and crime scene investigation.

Earlier in the day, Chief Meadows said that around 12:50 p.m., a sedan entered the property of Sunrise Presbyterian Church and struck three pedestrians—two juveniles and one adult—who were outside the preschool. One child and the adult were transported to the hospital, while the second child was treated at the scene and released to their parents.

In the briefing after the arrest, Chief Meadows said one of the victims had been released from the hospital and the other was expected to be released soon. “We are thankful that those injuries are not as serious as we initially thought they were going to be,” he added.

Authorities said the suspect fled the scene on foot and was last seen with a knife, prompting a large-scale search of the island. Residents were advised to remain indoors as officers conducted a grid-by-grid search and inspected every vehicle leaving the island.

Charleston County Sheriff Carl Ritchie said the suspect is currently being interviewed at headquarters and that charges are forthcoming. “This was a very coordinated effort with unified command,” Ritchie said. “We had officers and lieutenants in the air who helped guide our team to take him into custody safely.”

Officials have not commented on a possible motive or whether the act was intentional, saying that the incident is under investigation.