Darrell Carter

Deadly force

At about 3:30 a.m., deputy Lee Hardy attempted to conduct a "suspicious persons stop" on Darryll Carter and two other people who were standing next to a black Dodge Charger. Hardy reportedly saw money and/or items exchange hands, and asked Carter to come closer and take his hands out of his pockets. Carter came closer, but showed his hands briefly before putting them back in his pockets, according to Hardy. Hardy took Carter by the left shoulder, grabbed his right hand, pulled it out of his pocket, and pushed him toward the Charger. Carter then fled, and Hardy chased after him with his Taser drawn. When Carter came to a fence, he allegedly fired two shots at Hardy, who reportedly accidentally discharged his Taser and stumbled before firing two shots at Carter. Carter climbed over the fence and allegedly fired two or three more shots. Hardy fired two more shots at Carter, who then fled. Deputies discovered Carter collapsed in a nearby field with multiple gunshot wounds. Carter was pronounced dead at the scene. Hardy was not hurt. Officials said crime scene technicians recovered a handgun and spent casings from the location. No shell casings matching the firearm purportedly used by Carter were recovered on the side of the fence from which Carter allegedly fired his last shots. The gun was recovered on that side far away from where Carter ultimately collapsed. Carter's hands tested negative for gunshot residue.