‘Enough is enough’: Community demands answers in death of man tased by Raleigh police
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Death of Darryl “Tyree” Williams
Ongoing coverage from The News & Observer on the tasing and death of 32-year-old Darryl Williams in Raleigh police custody on Jan. 17, 2023.
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Several small glass jars filled with sand, candles and flowers spelled out “Tyree” on the ground of a busy parking lot in Southeast Raleigh Thursday night.
As darkness fell, the crowd in front of Supreme Sweepstakes and the Rock Quarry Smoke Shop & Convenience Store grew to about 50 people.
They were all there to remember 32-year-old Darryl Williams, a native of Wendell, known by close friends as Tyree. He died early Tuesday morning after he was tased by officers who were trying to take him into custody.
Some attendees showed up with bundles of red, blue, black and blue balloons and signs reading “Black Lives Matter.”
Others arrived with their small children and friends to show support. Amid the sadness was a sense of anger and demand for justice.
“If we don’t pull together, this will never get solved,” said Mary Cabell, Williams’ aunt. “Enough is enough.”
Police say the incident happened around 1:56 a.m. outside of the Supreme Sweepstakes parlor on Rock Quarry Road near Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. An incident report sent to The News & Observer by Raleigh police said police went to the area to respond to a “concealed weapon violation.”
Raleigh Police Chief Estella Patterson said officers that morning were conducting a “proactive patrol” in the area when they spotted a “suspicious vehicle.”
Patterson said Williams was running away from officers when he was tased with the stun gun. When he was handcuffed on the ground, Williams was unresponsive and officers used “life-saving measures” to try and revive him.
Officers said they took Williams to a local hospital where he later died, according to a news release.
Little information provided
In the two days since Williams’ death, Raleigh police have released little information about the incident, including a cause for the arrest or when he was taken to the local hospital.
Police said six officers have been placed on administrative leave, which is standard procedure following in-custody deaths. Their names have not been released.
Raleigh police also have not confirmed that Williams was the man that died.
Cabell thanked people for supporting her family. She said it was a wonderful thing that the community was coming together.
“Some of us don’t reach out and show support to other people,” Cabell said. “That’s a beautiful thing, so even though he’s not originally from here, I know he was known by a lot of people.”
She said Williams was named after his late father, Darryl Tyree Sr.
“If it wasn’t for your strength, I don’t know what this family would do,” Cabell said. “He was too young, he hadn’t even really started. ... I want some answers and I want to know why my nephew got taken.”
Lingering questions
Christopher Strickland was Williams’ best friend and had known him for over 10 years. They both attended East Wake High School in Wendell.
“He was successful, he went to work and always had his hair cut, he didn’t play about his hair cuts,” Strickland said. “He was an inspiration to me because I didn’t have a father-figure when I grew up.”
The two texted the night of Williams’ death, moments before police say the incident happened.
Since Tuesday, Strickland has been filled with unanswered questions: What about Williams’ car was suspicious? Why was Williams under arrest? Were there cameras in the area that might have caught the incident?
He wonders why police tased him and how long they kept him on Rock Quarry Road. Like other attendees, Strickland also questions why Williams was being searched by officers.
“He didn’t deserve this. He was a human being,” Strickland said. “I want to push this issue.”
According to public records, Williams had previous charges in for driving with a suspended license, drug trafficking and larceny.
“His recent background is not about this. He’s still a human being,” Strickland said.
Latricia Hyman, a Raleigh native, was at the vigil with her grandson. She didn’t know Williams but lives in the neighborhood and frequents the small shopping area where the Supreme Sweepstakes parlor is located.
She said many people who are experiencing homelessness or live in the area are often along Rock Quarry Road.
“(Police) are talking about suspicious but we’re at home,” Hyman said. “It’s suspicious because they don’t live here.”
She said her son had a similar incident with Raleigh police a few years ago where they shot at him during a chase. There are still questions she had about why it happened.
“I’m just glad he’s alive,” she said.
Raleigh police said they will release a five-day report next week, which is protocol for deaths that happen involving officers. The State Bureau of Investigation is also examining the case.
Toward the end of the night, attendees released the balloons over Rock Quarry Road saying, “We love you, Boo-Boo,” Williams’ nickname from his family.
This story was originally published January 19, 2023 at 9:03 PM.
