Greenville County Sheriff's Office shares details on fatal DHS narcotics operation

The Greenville County Sheriff’s Office released a video last week that offered new details about an early November narcotics investigation that turned deadly.

On the afternoon of Tuesday, Nov. 7, an agent with the Greenville County SWAT team shot and killed Justin Barrett McCarrell, 36, the Greenville News previously reported. Sheriff’s deputies were called to assist the U.S. Department of Homeland Security with a federal narcotics investigation at 100 Carver St. in Greenville.

The Critical Incident Community Briefing video, which the GCSO regularly releases 45 days after an officer-involved shooting, offers body camera footage and the sheriff's office account of the incident. The footage shows how quickly the incident turned fatal after the SWAT team engaged with McCarrell.

Although the DHS was involved, only body camera footage from GCSO personnel was shown in the video.

Sheriff's office provides footage, details of fatal DHS narcotics operation

An initial release from the sheriff’s office the day of the shooting said that “around 3 p.m.” one deputy from the GCSO fired their weapon and struck McCarrell. He received first aid until emergency service personnel arrived on scene, but later died at Prisma Health Greenville Memorial Hospital.

The video shows a little less than two minutes of body camera footage from multiple deputies. A portion of the incident where McCarrell presents a firearm and is shot by law enforcement is shown, however, there is no audio provided until after he was shot.

In the video, Lt. Ryan Flood stated that GCSO was requested to respond as security for DHS agents during a narcotics transaction at 2:42 p.m. Flood told the Greenville News Wednesday morning that GCSO was not involved in the DHS undercover operation prior to the request.

When McCarrell arrived at the Carver. St address and met undercover DHS agents “shortly before 3 p.m.,” SWAT team officers were hidden and positioned inside a bedroom in the house, Flood said in the video. At the time, SWAT officers observed DHS video surveillance of the operation, but that footage was not provided in the briefing.

After an undercover DHS investigator stepped outside the backdoor of the house, leaving the door open. McCarrell then shut the door and locked it which left him and one undercover agent inside, Flood said. Hidden SWAT team officers then heard "a commotion" and "police" shouted repeatedly, he said.

No audio or footage in the briefing confirms or disputes this account.

Flood noted that after body camera footage is activated, the camera rewinds and collects video 30 seconds prior to activation but does not capture audio during that time.

"In fear agents’ lives were in danger, SWAT team members exited the room and encountered the armed subject in the hallway located at the front door of the residence," Flood said during the video. "The subject raised the firearm and pointed it at deputies, at which time one deputy fired in defense of himself and other law enforcement on scene."

Timestamped body camera footage shows that the SWAT team exited the room and shot McCarrell within ten seconds. While two officers’ body camera footage shows the shooting occurred at 3:48 p.m., another is timestamped at 2:48 p.m. Flood could not confirm to the News what time the shooting occurred and said timestamps are sometimes inaccurate.

In silent body camera footage, McCarrell appears to have a gun. At one point he appears to face officers while holding the gun before officers shoot him near the front door.

Moments later, a gun is seen on the pavement outside near the front porch after McCarrell falls through the open front door and down the steps. Later in the video, Flood says that McCarrell’s loaded 9 mm handgun was recovered from the scene and placed into evidence.

After one deputy shoots McCarrell, he continues moving and a second deputy tases him in the front yard. The initial press release from the sheriff’s office said that only one deputy discharged their firearm. The Greenville County Coroner’s Office confirmed McCarrell was shot multiple times.

The audio turns on at the 30-second mark. At this point several officers surround McCarrell, who collapsed in the front yard. Officers detain McCarrell and at least one officer states “he’s shot,” while several go back inside.

Once outside, McCarrell is mounted by multiple officers on the ground and detained, with his hands up in the air for a moment. The footage shows what appears to be blood on McCarrell near where his back and waist connect.

A muffled voice saying "I’m not moving" is heard as officers detain McCarrell.

Body camera footage from two other officers is also included, but either provide an obscured view of the shooting or no view at all.

McCarrell was transported to Prisma Health Greenville Memorial Hospital and pronounced dead at 4:12 p.m., shortly after arrival, the coroner's office said in an email the day after the incident.

McCarrell, a Taylors native, is survived by two children, a daughter and a son, as well as three sisters, according to his obituary.

Flood told the News that the sheriff’s office’ internal investigation is complete and that no policy violations were found. He said that the South Carolina Law Enforcement’s investigation into the shooting is still active.

The sheriff’s office’ regularly releases critical incident briefings 45 days after an officer-involved shooting. These can be released during ongoing investigations by SLED. In the video, Flood says the briefings are designed to give viewers a better understanding of what took place, but routinely adds the disclaimer that new information or evidence may change the agency’s understanding of the incident in the future.

"Our office does not draw any conclusions about whether the deputies’ actions adhered to the law or were compliant with our agency's policy until the investigation has been thoroughly completed," Flood says in the video.

Chalmers Rogland covers public safety for the Spartanburg Herald-Journal and USA Today Network. Reach him via email at crogland@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Herald-Journal: Greenville sheriff shares details on fatal federal narcotics operation