Family searches for answers after loved one dies in custody of Irmo PD

COLUMBIA, SC (WOLO) — Family members of 45-year-old Byron Jackson say they’re searching for answers after their loved one died in custody of Irmo Police officers.

“He was my child. We all loved him dearly. And we all talked two and three times a day. And I’m surely surely going to miss him,” says Bettie Jackson, Byron’s mother.

Family members held a press conference along with Civil Rights Attorney Bakari Sellers Tuesday afternoon.

“We don’t know what happened that night. There are a lot of holes in a lot of stories,” says Sellers.

According to Irmo PD, dispatch received a 911 call around two o’clock on the morning of June 22nd — with reports of a possible fight inside of a vehicle in the New Friarsgate area.

“There was not a fight in a vehicle. There was one person, who was Byron, in that vehicle,” says Sellers.

Officers say the vehicle, driven by Jackson who was confirmed as its sole occupant, left the scene upon their arrival.

According to Sellers, Jackson traveled less than two miles down the road —  in what he referred to as a low speed chase — before exiting the vehicle.

At that time, Sellers claims an altercation happened — leaving officers and Jackson in a ravine.  According to Sellers, Jackson was dry-tased by officers.

In a press release to ABC Columbia News, Irmo police say Jackson was in an altercation with officers before being taken into custody near a Dollar General on Broad River Road.

Shortly after being restrained, officers say Jackson began having trouble breathing.

EMS was called and Jackson later died at the hospital — his brother saying the family wasn’t notified until 20 hours after Jackson was admitted because he had been listed as “John Doe” in the hospital’s system.

“But when I walked up and saw him hooked to the ventilator, you can imagine how I felt,” Bettie says.

As questions build, Sellers says he’s asking the Irmo PD for transparency.

“We do know that the Irmo PD can release the body cam. We do know the body cam footage does exist. And we’re asking them to do that,” says Sellers.

Sellers and Irmo PD say SLED did not get involved with the investigation until Monday, the day after the incident took place. Sellers says that wasn’t soon enough.

“Something is wrong with that timeline and something is wrong with that account and we need to figure out why that is the case,” says Sellers.

ABC Columbia’s Lee Williams reached out to Irmo Police Chief Bobby Dale who says the department declines to comment further at this time until SLED’s ongoing investigation is complete.

Both officers were placed on administrative leave.

“I can tell you that we’re not going to allow the Irmo PD to treat him just as some other young African-American kid who got in an altercation after a high speed chase and you guys go on about your business. That’s not going to happen on our watch,” says Sellers.

Jackson’s cause of death remains unknown.