Man shot and killed by Wilson deputy was in mental crisis, family says
An Army reservist was shot and killed Sunday by a Wilson County deputy after he choked another deputy almost to the point of unconsciousness, the sheriff's office said on Wednesday.
Family and friends of Lamoris Speight Jr. said he was a soldier who was experiencing a mental health crisis, and that deputies could have done more to de-escalate the situation.
Both family and authorities agree that deputies were called Sunday to a home on Main Street in Saratoga where Speight was in mental crisis.
The sheriff's office says Speight had a deputy in a choke hold and was attempting to unholster the deputy's weapon.
Speight's family members told WRAL News that they feel deputies should have used other methods to de-escalate the situation before shooting him.
"Speight was given several commands to let go of the deputy and to release the deputy's weapon. At the point where the deputy was about to lose consciousness, a deputy on the scene discharged his firearm striking Mr. Speight," the sheriff's office report reads.
"EMS was called to the scene and Speight was pronounced deceased on the scene."
The State Bureau of Investigation will look into the incident, standard practice when a law enforcement officer fires a weapon. The names of the deputies involved have not been released, nor has the sheriff's office said whether those deputies would be put on leave.
How the community is remembering Lamoris Speight Jr.
Speight, 22, was a specialist in the Army Reserves. He enlisted in 2019 and had played football at Beddingfield High School in Wilson.
James Ward, Speight's high school football coach, said he was a special person who he'll never forget.
"In 26 years, honestly, he was one of my favorite kids," Ward said.
Ward said Speight was a smart, quiet kid with a magnetic personality.
[He was] quiet, would run through a wall for you [and] was very, very smart in school," Ward said of Speight.
Speight became a captain and Ward would drive him home from practice each day.
Ward said he's struggling to understand how Speight's life came to an end this way.
"It's hard to fathom that this had to be the end result," Ward said. "That's where all my questions are at."
Ward said he found out about the news on Monday morning.
"[There are] a lot of other ways to take care of this than killing this kid," Ward said.
People who knew Speight posted to social media to express their grief and shock.
One person said, "He was the most laid-back and level-headed person I've ever known."
Another person said, "This guy was one of the sweetest guys I know."
Get Help: County-by-county guide to mental health and crisis resources in NC
In the wake of tragic and traumatic events, feelings like stress, anxiety, grief and depression are natural. Here is a list of crisis counseling and county-by-county resources in North Carolina, as well as nationally. These resources are available for you -- just call.
