Man who died in Raleigh police custody was tased three times, report says
A 32-year-old man who died in Raleigh police custody last week was tased with a stun gun three times, a report released Monday shows.
Darryl “Tyree” Williams told officers he had heart problems after he was tased the second time, the report from Police Chief Estella Pattersin states..
The 5-day report described Williams as “combative and resistant” when officers attempted to arrest him after they searched his car.
Two handguns and drugs were found in the car, according to the report.
A Raleigh man died after being tased by police. Read the city’s report here
Here is what police says happened, according to the report:
Officers J. T. Thomas and C. D. Robinson were patrolling the 800 block of Rock Quarry Road on Jan. 17 when they saw Williams’ car. Thomas called for backup, and Officer D. L. Aquino later arrived.
Thomas approached Williams’ car that was occupied by two people, one in the driver’s seat and one in the passenger’s, the report states.
“Officer Robinson observed an open container of alcohol and marijuana in the car and requested Mr. Williams and the passenger to exit,” it states. “As the occupants were getting out of the car, Officers Aquino and Thomas approached to assist Officer Robinson.”
During the search, Robinson found a “folded dollar bill” in Williams’ pocket containing “a white powdery substance consistent with the appearance of cocaine.”
Another Raleigh police Officer J. R. Scott arrived.
All four officers attempted to take Williams into custody, but he “continued to resist their efforts and was able to overpower and pull away from them,” the report states.
They warned Williams to “stop or you are going to get tased,” it states.
“Mr. Williams continued to actively resist the officers by pushing them and refusing to place his hands behind his back,” it continues. “At this point, Officer Robinson deployed his Taser, temporarily stopping Mr. Williams and causing him to fall to the ground in front of one of the businesses in the area.”
Williams managed to break away and run, the report states. Officers caught up with him, and both Thomas and Robinson deployed their stun guns on Williams’ body.
“Over the course of fifty seconds, there were two separate Taser deployments in the drive stun mode,” the report states.
After the first of these stuns, “Mr. Williams can be heard on body worn camera saying, ‘I have heart problems,’” it states.
Williams was taken to the hospital after 2 a.m. after Emergency Medical Services personnel arrived. He was pronounced dead at the hospital around 3 a.m, the report read.
A search of the car found two firearms, one of which had been reported stolen, according to the report. Marijuana and suspected controlled substances were also found in the car.
Along with Robinson, Thomas, Scott, and Aquino, Raleigh Police Officers D. L. Grande and B. L. Ramge were placed on administrative leave after the incident, which is standard procedure, the report states.
Timeline of the incident
The entire incident seems to have taken place within about five minutes.
The report details the police account from the time when Robinson and Thomas arrived at the parking lot of 808 Rock Quarry Road in Southeast Raleigh where Supreme Sweepstakes and the Rock Quarry Smoke Shop & Convenience Store are located off Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.
1:55 a.m.
1. Thomas and Robinson arrive.
Robinson calls for additional officers to assist with patrols of the area
Aquino arrives shortly after (time is not specified)
Robinson approaches Williams’ car. Williams is in the driver’s seat
Robinson searches Williams and finds the folded dollar bill with the white powder on it and decides to arrest Williams
2. Williams becomes “combative and resistant,” according to the report.
Officers request additional assistance, including “the need for immediate assistance”
Williams pulls away and officers warn “Stop or you are going to get tased”
Williams continues to resist “by pushing them and refusing to place his hands behind his back”
Robinson deploys his taser, stopping Williams and causing him to fall to the ground
Thomas deploys his taser but misses contact with Williams
Robinson deploys taser a second time and misses Williams
Williams falls to the ground while running and officers continue struggle with him
3. 50 seconds of Taser deployments
Officers Grande and Ramge arrive to help take Williams into custody
Thomas tases Williams in his side
Williams tells officers he has heart problems
Robinson tases Williams in left side of his back
Officers reposition him on his side at 2 a.m.
2:02 a.m.
EMS and Raleigh Fire are called and dispatched.
Officers given CPR to Williams
2:06 a.m.
Another call is made to EMS asking them to expedite their response
Raleigh Fire arrives to take over CPR
3:01 a.m.
Williams is pronounced dead at the hospital
The State Bureau of Investigation is conducting an independent criminal investigation of Williams’ death and will share its findings with the Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman for review, according to the report.
Community response
Before Monday, Raleigh police had shared little information about the incident including Williams’ name which had been confirmed by his family.
Questions about the incident and Williams’ death linger for his friends and family who do not believe he would have resisted an arrest.
At a vigil Thursday night, friends and supporters gathered outside Supreme Sweepstakes to call for justice and to remember Williams, who was known as a good person who took care of his family.
According to their guidelines, Raleigh police officers are instructed not to use a taser when a person is running away from them.
The taser works to temporarily paralyze a person with 50,000 volts of electricity.
Though used as a non-lethal weapon, over 1,000 people have died after being tased in the United States, according to multiple media reports.
Since Williams’ death, two Raleigh City Council members have publicly spoken out.
Friday, Mary Black, serving District A, tweeted “Rest in Power Darryl Tyree Williams.”
Monday afternoon, District D Councilwoman Jane Harrison said in a tweet: “The sight of marijuana and alcohol should not end in death. I am so sorry to hear about the loss of life for Darryl Tyree Williams.”
