A teenager died after police used a Taser on him inside a grocery store in northeast Charlotte.Charlotte-Mecklenburg police homicide detectives said they will investigate why police used the Taser on 17-year-old Darryl Turner Thursday afternoon.
His mother, Tammi Fontenot, told Eyewitness News, "I want answers. I want to know why. I just want to know why."
Police said an argument escalated between Turner and one of his supervisors at a Food Lion on Prosperity Church Road. Officers said the teen assaulted a store manager by throwing an object after officers arrived on scene.Police released a statement reading, "[Turner] was highly agitated and refused all verbal commands and began walking toward the officer." At that point, the officer used his Taser on Turner.
Turner went to Carolinas Medical Center-University, but he died a short time later.
Fontenot said her son and the manager have had problems in the past but she does not believe he became violent.
"When he gets upset, he is hard to talk to, but violent -- no. Act stupid, yes, mouth off, yes, but violent, no," she said.
Once homicide detectives finish their investigation, they will turn their findings over to the Mecklenburg County district attorney. A council of review made up of the officer's supervisor, internal affairs and a citizen will examine the findings of the internal investigation to see if all departmental policies were followed.
