Two Myrtle Beach-area bars, bouncers accused of contributing to deadly shooting

Two Myrtle Beach area bars are facing a wrongful death lawsuit after a Longs man was shot and killed last year.

The lawsuit names the former Barfield’s Bar and Grille and Klocker’s Tavern. It also includes Big Beach Bouncers, which provided security for Barfield’s, according to the suit.

A call to Klocker went unanswered and a message could not be left. A phone number for Big Beach Bouncers could not be found.

Starquan Washington, 23, died from injuries he suffered in a shooting outside Barfield’s at 4803 Highway 17 Bypass on Oct. 18, 2023, police said. He was one of two people shot.

Barfield’s and Klocker’s were located next to each other at the time and shared a parking lot. Following the shooting, Barfield’s closed its doors after the South Carolina Department of Revenue filed a motion on October 25, 2023, for an emergency stay and expedited hearing to revoke the bar’s liquor licenses.

A Myrtle Beach man, Kvon Tyrese Lawhorn, has been charged in Washington’s death. The case against Lawhorn was dismissed earlier this year, according to the Public Index.

The suit claims that while Washington was at Barfield’s, Lawhorn carried a concealed firearm and gave the concealed firearm to an officer or employee of Barfield’s. The employee kept Lawhorn’s firearm behind the bar until Lawhorn was ready to leave the establishment. When Lawhorn was ready to leave, he grabbed the firearm from the employee, according to the suit.

Lawhorn then left Barfield and went to Klocker’s house, according to the suit. Eventually, Washington and Lawhorn were outside the bar where Lawhorn is accused of shooting Washington.

The suit claims that because of prior violence and other criminal activity at Barfield and Klocker, both establishments had a duty to protect, screen, warn and ensure the safety of those who entered the premises.

Horry County Police reported to the Department of Revenue that they responded to numerous calls for service, including noise complaints, assaults, shootings, narcotics violations, weapons violations, fights, as well as the death of Washington on October 18, 2023.

Barfield and Klocker were negligent in failing to control and follow safety measures and laws to prevent the shooting, the suit alleges.