‘He shouldn’t be dead’: Friends of Beaufort Co. man who died in police custody speak out

Charles Jiles dropped off his cousin — Trey Pringle — at Pringle’s Seabrook home on Feb. 17 about 20 minutes before a series of events unraveled leading to Pringle’s death.

Pringle, 24, died after being tased three times by Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office deputies and restrained by other first responders as they worked to detain him, according to a police report. Two deputies received minor injuries during the incident.

Pringle’s family had called 911, saying Pringle was “out of control, injured, bleeding and in need of medical assistance,” a sheriff’s office report states.

Some in the Seabrook community believe deputies could have handled the situation in a better way — one in which Pringle would still be alive.

“This is the talk of the town in Beaufort — his death and the way he died,” said Marquise Simmons, a former classmate of Pringle’s from Whale Branch Early College High School. “I don’t feel like they had to tase him. It could have went way better than it did.”

Jiles also believes Pringle should still be alive.

“I was the last one with him,” Jiles said Saturday. “He was acting a little different, but OK.”

Pringle helped his grandmother bring groceries into her house. He also asked to use Jiles’ phone but the battery was dead — this is what Jiles remembers of his last hour with his cousin who was only a year older than him.

“I know my boy isn’t coming back,” Jiles said.

The Burton Hill Fire District and Beaufort County Emergency Medical Services responded to the scene on Feb. 17.

A police report states police found Pringle bleeding “everywhere” while sitting next to a broken television in the living room. He was not responding to deputies, EMS or fire rescue questions. He also refused to allow anyone to look at his injuries, according to deputies.

EMS told deputies that Pringle had a history of mental health and other medical issues and needed to be transported to a hospital due to a loss of blood, the report states.

Pringle was told by deputies that he was going to be placed in handcuffs in order to get him help, the report says. Following being “grabbed” by a pair of deputies, Pringle “started freaking out.”

He broke a hand free, struck a deputy in the face multiple times and kicked the deputy in the knee, the report states. A second deputy also was struck.

During the altercation, Pringle broke free and shut himself in a back bedroom. Deputies drew a handgun and Taser at this time, the report states.

Pringle was Tased the first time as he exited the room in an aggressive manner, according to the report. He quickly retreated back to the room before coming back out and sitting by the television.

He was Tased a second time after he swung a piece of broken glass as a weapon during another attempt to handcuff him, the report states.

The third tase came when deputies made a third attempt to handcuff him, the report says. As Pringle kicked, trying to break free, a “drive stun” method was used — a Taser was held at the back of his leg and deployed until handcuffs were secured.

A firefighter helped to hold Pringle as he continued to struggle after being handcuffed, the report states.

As medical personnel started to treat him it was discovered Pringle was in cardiac arrest. He was given CPR and transported to Beaufort Memorial Hospital where he died Tuesday morning.

An autopsy was completed Feb. 21, and the results are pending, according to the Beaufort County Coroner’s Office.

The incident is currently under investigation by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. The division investigates all deaths involving police in the state.

“It is all messed up,” Jiles said. “They didn’t have to do what they did. They knew he had a medical issue. Why tase him? it doesn’t make sense.”

Almost everyone entering a Shell fueling station near Pringle’s house knew of the incident when asked Saturday afternoon. Every person who stopped to talk with a reporter from The Island Packet and The Beaufort Gazette said they felt the incident was mishandled.

Many of the people felt the police presence heightened Pringle’s emotional state and that friends or family could have talked him down.

“He had police on him,” Jiles said. “I wish I could have been there because I could have talked him down.”

Simmons said he remembers Pringle as a smart guy in school who played football.

“He was a people person,” Simmons said. “He was a comedy person. (The situation with deputies) could have went way better than it did.”

Jennifer Anderson, another cousin of Pringle’s, said she also feels like it could have been handled differently.

“I really feel it was wrong,” Anderson said. “People are talking about this a lot.”

Pringle was a rapper and a “cool, laidback guy,” Jiles said.

“He would talk to you and make sure you were in the right mind,” he said. “He shouldn’t be dead. I can’t do nothing. All I can do is pray and hope things get better. There ain’t much I can do but support the family.”

This story was originally published February 24, 2018 at 7:04 PM with the headline "‘He shouldn’t be dead’: Friends of Beaufort Co. man who died in police custody speak out."