Man who charged police officer with meat cleaver faces attempted murder charges

A 35-year-old Georgetown man is facing an attempted murder charge after threatening a Myrtle Beach police officer with a “very large meat cleaver,” according to a police report.

Antonio Lee Wright was arrested in connection with attempted murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime, jail records show.

Myrtle Beach officers were called about 2:30 p.m. Nov. 3 to the area of the 1700 block of North Kings Highway in reference to a complainant who said they saw a man carrying a butcher’s knife while walking up a flight of stairs to a duplex, police said.

An officer found Wright in a grocery store parking lot holding a “very large meat cleaver,” and began following Wright as he walked away, the report states.

The officer continued to follow Wright who said if the officer wanted to shoot him to just go ahead and shoot him, authorities said. The officer told Wright he didn’t want to shoot him then decided to fire his taser, but wasn’t able to hit Wright, the report says.

After that, Wright jogged toward 17th Avenue North then turned and began coming back at the officer, who told him to stop where he was, but Wright didn’t follow his command and continued to come back toward the officer, police said.

Wright said, “Why do you want to do this?” and “I told you to shoot me,” according to the report.

The officer told Wright he wasn’t going to shoot him and afterward Wright charged at the officer saying “Your going to [expletive] shoot me,” according to the report.

Wright and the officer then wrestled each other before the officer shoved Wright away, the report states.

Wright then began walking away, heading through a nearby restaurant parking lot, and the officer continued to follow him until Wright again turned and charged toward the officer, who then retreated, police said.

Wright continued to follow before making a final charge at the officer while holding the meat cleaver above shoulder height in a manner that suggested he was going to strike the officer if he could get close enough, the report says.

Wright was stopped when the officer successfully shot him with his taser, allowing the officer to make an arrest.

Wright is being held at the J. Reuben Long Detention Center on $400,000 bond, jail records show.