Aiken man dies after Lexington County stun-gun incident

RED BANK, S.C. (WIS) - An Aiken man has been identified after Lexington County deputies used a stun gun on him on Wednesday.

Lexington County Coroner Margaret Fisher said 32-year-old Bernice Junior Smith III, of Aiken, “went unresponsive” after being taken into custody and pronounced dead shortly after arriving at a local hospital.

It’s unclear whether Smith died at the scene or the hospital.

Fisher stated an autopsy is scheduled for Friday at The Medical University of Charleston.

According to Lexington County Sheriff Jay Koon, a deputy approached Smith Wednesday afternoon at a Walmart in Red Bank and recognized he had an outstanding warrant for shoplifting.

Officials say Smith ran away from the deputy.

“Deputies ran after him and eventually used a Taser to subdue him after he was located and was noncompliant with verbal commands,” Koon said.

According to Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, LCSD, deputies removed the handcuffs from Smith when he began to show signs of distress and rendered aid until paramedics arrived to take him to the hospital.

LCSD said three deputies are on paid istrative leave in accordance with department policy.

The agency requested South Carolina Law Enforcement Division to investigate.

Copyright 2023 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.