A quiet afternoon on Sullivan’s Island, South Carolina turned into a scene of horror on Thursday when a man allegedly stole his mother’s car at knifepoint and launched a brutal attack on a local playground, injuring three victims, including two children.
Authorities say 36-year-old Justin Collin Adams has been charged with three counts of attempted murder and first-degree aggravated assault following the incident, which took place just before 1 p.m. in the parking lot of Sunrise Presbyterian Church, a short distance from a nearby school playground.
According to the arrest affidavit, Adams threatened to disfigure his own mother before taking her car and driving straight toward the children playing outside. Witnesses say Adams first struck a 12-year-old boy before accelerating toward more kids, appearing to “chase them as they fled in terror.”
The rampage didn’t stop there. Adams then allegedly hit a teacher, who was thrown onto the hood of the car, before running over a 10-year-old child. That child became pinned underneath the vehicle when it slammed into a curb, triggering the airbags and bringing the car to a halt.
After the crash, Adams fled the scene on foot, prompting a full-scale manhunt involving multiple law enforcement agencies, helicopters, boats, K-9 units, and SWAT teams.
Sgt. Matthew Storen of the Isle of Palms Police Department confirmed that Adams was finally captured hiding under a boat cover near a dock. The dramatic arrest came after a helicopter spotted him from the air. Authorities moved in and arrested him without further incident.
“He was wearing a red shirt, which helped us identify him from the air,” said Sgt. Storen. “He was given verbal commands and complied. No one else was injured during the takedown.”
Multiple agencies joined the search effort, including the FBI, U.S. Marshals, SLED, NCIS, and Department of Natural Resources, along with local Sullivan’s Island and Isle of Palms police officers.
Adams is currently being held without bond on the attempted murder charges and faces an additional $100,000 bond for aggravated assault. He is scheduled to appear in court on June 13.
The Charleston County Sheriff’s Office has taken over the investigation but has not yet commented publicly on the case. Authorities say a motive for the terrifying attack remains unclear.
