RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — Raleigh police have released body camera video Friday showing what led up to 32-year-old Darryl Williams’ in-custody death.
According to the Raleigh Police Department’s preliminary investigative report, Williams died in their custody after officers fired stun guns at him three times on Jan. 17.
It said officers were “proactively patrolling” businesses along Rock Quarry Road. Police body cameras showed police approach another car before moving on to Williams’ vehicle. When the passenger opens their door, he is holding what appears to be open container. A preliminary report from police noted officers saw an open container of alcohol and marijuana.
Officers are then heard asking them both to step out of the car. An officer checking Williams’ pocket sees a folded up dollar bill containing what they believed to be cocaine. The officer then attempts to place Williams into custody.
Police body cameras showed Williams begin to pull away and struggle. He’s able to get away before another officer shouts, “Stop or you’ll get tased.”
Williams is hit with a taser prongs as he running away. After another struggle with several officers, surveillance from a businesses captures him taking off again.
Surveillance video captures Williams losing his footing and falling face first on the parking lot concrete. Officers attempt to get him into cuffs again. While Williams’ hand are under his chest, police body cam shows Williams get tasered- this time directly to the body.
Williams can be heard saying, “I got heart problems. Bro, please.”
Officers continue to struggle getting Williams into the handcuffs and taser him on the body again.
Williams is subdued and placed in handcuffs. Officers are heard calling for EMS, as is protocol. While they initially tell dispatchers Williams is conscious and breathing, a few second later they can be heard asking if he’s breathing and officers fail to find a pulse.
“I can’t get one. Let’s get CPR going,” an officer can be heard saying.
Officers are seen on video rendering aid until EMS arrives. Williams is transported to a hospital. He was pronounced dead at 3 a.m..
Video provided by RPD also included the search of Williams’ car. In it, officers can be seen finding two guns and what they said was marijuana.
Six officers were placed on administrative duty.
The release of the body camera video comes after the Raleigh City Council voted on Wednesday to create a committee that will look into concerns from the community about Williams’ death.
Emancipate NC and Raleigh Demands Justice are calling for the creation of a new committee to look into police accountability.
They gave a list of the following demands to city council:
- Stop proactive policing
- Dismantling the police advisory committee
- Remove stun guns from RPD
- Requiring implicit bias training for officers
- Firing the officers involved in Williams’ death
- Prosecuting officers involved in deaths
- Requiring individual professional liability insurance for officers
- Create HEARTS team without police (the program sends unarmed trained professionals to respond to crisis situations)
