Officials identified a probation absconder who they said died during a foot chase Oct. 27 in Wadesboro.
The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation identified the man as Lamont Darryl Perry on Tuesday morning.
“A probation and parole officer was attempting to locate and arrest a subject for a probation violation related to an assault charge in Anson County,” Special Agent Audria Bridges with the SBI said in a statement released the day after Perry’s death. “During this arrest encounter with the probation officer, the subject passed away. Several Wadesboro police officers were on scene and witnessed the encounter after the arrest.”
Perry was at his girlfriend’s house when he ran into a wooded area behind the house and was quickly found, according to Bridges.
“(The officer) was able to handcuff Perry when it appeared Perry sustained an injury to his leg,” Bridges said in a statement Tuesday morning. “Medic was called to the scene and rendered aid to Perry, who was talking at that time. Perry suddenly became unresponsive and passed away.”
The officer involved was identified as 23-year-old William Kyle Torrence, according to a statement from Keith Acree, public information officer with the N.C. Department of Public Safety. Torrence was working with officers from the Wadesboro Police Department chasing an absconder by foot, Acree said.
Perry, 32, was on probation after being convicted of assaulting a woman in August, according to state records, which have him listed as both “Lammont” and “Lamont” Darryl Perry. He had previous convictions for assault on a female in 2013, larceny in 2009 and 2001, driving while impaired in 2007 and misdemeanor breaking and entering in 2001, records show.
Bridges said the cause of death is pending an autopsy and toxicology report, and no weapon was located on the scene. Bridges added that there was no evidence that a gun or Taser was used as of Tuesday morning.
Torrence was placed on administrative duty as an internal investigation is underway, standard procedure in these cases.
Wadesboro police asked the SBI to step in at about 11 p.m. Oct. 27, according to Bridges. A call to Wadesboro Chief Thedis Spencer Oct. 28 has yet to be returned.
This is the fourth officer-related death in Anson County since last November.
Sgt. Donald Jenks, a former deputy with the Anson County Sheriff’s Office, fatally shot Kim Lee Long, 48, on Nov. 6, 2015; an autopsy revealed that Long was intoxicated at the time. Dennis Matthew Penny, 40, was fatally shot in a gunfight with county Deputies J. Martin and K. Beam on March 16, according to the SBI. Bobby Rex Horne, 63, was shot by county deputies July 15 after officials say he pointed a rifle at a deputy.
After Horne was shot, Sheriff Landric Reid commented on the increase of officer-related deaths.
“It’s the world we’re living in today,” he said at the time. “None of my deputies want to be involved in a shooting. None want to shoot anyone. The goal is to come out and protect the public, not harm the public. Unfortunately, these things happen.”
According to the Washington Post, 800 people have been fatally shot by police this year as of 8 p.m. Oct. 31. Twenty-six of those (3 percent) were in North Carolina.
Anyone with information or who was in the area of Sikes Drive in Wadesboro around 11 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 27 can contact the SBI at 704-454-5264.
Reach reporter Imari Scarbrough at 704-994-5471 and follow her on Twitter @ImariScarbrough.