RED BANK, S.C. — Tonight we have new information regarding a man who died after Lexington County Sheriff’s Department (LCSD) says he was tased. The Lexington County Coroner has now identified the man as 32-year-old Bernice Junior Smith III.
"He was a really fun person," Kaylie D'Eredita shares about "BJ" Smith.
LCSD says Smith died on Wednesday after deputies say they approached him at a Walmart on South Lake Drive. When deputies brought up an outstanding warrant for shoplifting, they say Smith took off running.
D’Eredita works with the nonprofit S.E.A. Place, and she serves people experiencing homelessness like Smith.
"He was…had a fun spirit and he was very sweet. He knew a lot about the Bible. And he was really teetering on the sides of not wanting to be on the streets anymore, and trying to change his life around but as with any struggles, it's hard to break that cycle," D'Eredita says. "He wasn't wanted on a violent crime. He was wanted on shoplifting, which shoplifting of course is….It's frustrating for any of us because it makes the prices of things go up. But I think so often that when you're caught into this cycle of wanting to survive and take things that you need to survive, whether it's food and water, you are stuck in between that making choices and I think with any of us that you choose survival."
Witnesses tell News 19 that Smith started in the pickup area of the parking lot talking to deputies, and then ran out into a nearby wooded area.
LCSD says deputies found Smith. When he wasn’t compliant with their verbal commands, deputies used a taser. LCSD says Smith was handcuffed and walking back to a patrol vehicle when he showed signs of medical distress. He was transported to a hospital, and ultimately died.
LCSD has a Use of Force Policy, which all deputies are supposed to receive. The policy has five steps, which deputies are supposed to use, starting with the least severe. The first level the policy reads is "officer presence," which means the deputy should be wearing a uniform. Then, "verbal direction" means the deputy can give arrest commands per the policy. "Empty hand control" comes next, where deputies can use control techniques like handcuffing or kicking, according to the policy. "Intermediate weapon control" means, per the policy, officers can use electronic control devices, like tasers. Finally as a last resort, deputies can use "lethal force" that is "likely to cause great bodily injury or death," as reads in the policy.
In this incident, deputies moved to level four: intermediate weapon control.
The policy says, “A deputy may resort to intermediate weapon control when the use of lower levels of control is not likely to succeed, or have been ineffective and lethal force is not authorized.”
According to the sheriff’s department, three deputies are on paid administrative leave, which is typical with the department’s policy. South Carolina Law Enforcement Division is also investigating.
In the meantime, D'Eredita tells me the community of people she serves who knew Smith are worried.
"There's a concern in this area with the homeless," D'Eredita shares. "You know, it's such a community that is unreached, unapproached, things like that, so it's just a small group of us that gather from the nonprofit that are serving them."
D’Eredita says there is a community prayer gathering happening on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. in the Walmart parking lot near the pickup section. It’s open to anyone who wants to attend.
According to the coroner, an autopsy is scheduled for Friday, Aug. 11 at the Medical University of Charleston.