Wake DA opens SBI investigation after man claims he was unarmed, beaten by police

The State Bureau of Investigation is investigating after a man claims he was assaulted by police earlier this month.

Arrest records show that Kyron Dwain Hinton, 29, of 3033 Poole Road was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct, resisting a public officer and assault on a law enforcement animal.

Hinton claimed he was walking home from a sweepstakes at about 10:20 p.m. on April 4 when he was approached by several officers.

"While I'm walking, I was approached by an officer and, next thing you know, several more come up behind me and, at this point, I'm being punched," he said.

According to an arrest warrant, Hinton was yelling in the roadway at North Raleigh Boulevard and Yonkers Road, implying he had a gun and pointing his hand in the air as if he had a firearm in it.

Hinton claimed officers put him against the back of a car and continued beating him while a police dog on the scene began biting him on his right arm, side and head.

"I was never asked to put my hands up. I was never told to get on the ground. All I was doing was walking," Hinton said.

The arrest warrant states that Hinton ignored commands to get on the ground and physically resisted officers when being handcuffed.

Hinton said he suffered a broken eye socket, broken nose, multiple head lacerations and memory loss as a result of the incident. In addition, he said he sustained "probably 20 bite marks on my arms to my side" as a result of the dog bites.

"The way that we're treated in our own community, if you're just going to get bit by a dog and beat walking down the street, something really needs to change," he said.

According to the warrant, Hinton hit the police dog on the head and face and "willfully did cause or attempt to cause harm to the animal."

Hinton was brought into the Wake County Jail on April 7 and was released on bond the same day, according to prison records.

Authorities on Wednesday did not release details of the case or the investigation, but said the Raleigh Police Department is aware of the incident and contacted the District Attorney’s Office the week after it occurred.

District Attorney Lorrin Freeman confirmed her office opened an SBI investigation into the case.

"Based on what we were told, I thought it was important to open a full investigation by the State Bureau of Investigation into use of force and that investigation is ongoing," she said.

The SBI will review footage and medical records related to the incident and will present their findings to the district attorney, who will determine if criminal charges should be filed.

'We understand that these cases are highly sensitive and of great importance to the public and some are working hard to try and bring this investigation to conclusion as quickly as possible, but to do a thorough investigation takes time and we want to make sure we've done a thorough job," she said.

The Wake County Sheriff’s Department also responded to the initial incident, but directed all questions to Freeman when asked.

Hinton filed a complaint Wednesday with the Raleigh Police Department and is scheduled to appear in court May 14.