I-TEAM: Body cam shows clash between deputies, mentally unstable man

LOUISVILLE, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - The family of Freddie Walker, who died after a stun-gun incident in July, confirms prominent attorney Benjamin Crump will represent them in the case.

Our I-TEAM is digging deeper into the death of Freddie and how deputies handled the situation at the family’s home. Walker’s family told our I-TEAM they don’t feel like the proper protocol was followed.

Back in October, we reported that the investigation had found Burke County deputies’ use of force was justified in the stun-gun incident and the district attorney wouldn’t take the case to a grand jury.

Although such incidents are often investigated by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, this one was handled by a use-of-force team the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office has put together.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE:

• Ben Crump to represent family in death of Freddie Walker
• Burke County deputies won’t be charged in deadly clash
• Burke County sheriff responds to man’s death in clash with deputies

The Columbia County team found “that the amount of force used was reasonable by the objective reasonableness standard, Burke County Sheriff’s Office policies and procedures, and Georgia Law,” a Burke County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman said.

On July 27, Burke County dispatch gets a call from Ruben Walker saying his brother, Freddie, needs help and a mental evaluation.

Dispatch: “He has nerve problems?”

Ruben: “Yes, ma’am.”

Burke County EMA was sent out to the home on Bailey Road in Louisville. The family says Freddie is schizophrenic and heard voices, and that he had not been taking his medicine.

According to investigator’s notes, Ruben said he was sitting in a chair in the living room and Freddie came into the room and began to hold him down in the chair, not letting him up. Freddie did not say anything to Ruben while he was holding him in the chair.

Once Freddie released Ruben, Ruben went out of the home to call 911 for help.

Dispatch radio traffic says EMA arrived at the home at around 1 a.m. EMA advised dispatch Freddie to be combative towards them and radio back for help from the sheriff’s office.

That’s when Deputy Zakia Luke was dispatched to Bailey Road.

EMA radio traffic: “Patient is being combative and aggressive towards us, and we’ll be backing off at this time.”

Deputy Tyler May and a second EMA crew are also told to head to the scene by dispatch.

Deputy Luke was the first deputy on the scene. She was approached by an EMT who told her to stay back because they established a rapport with Freddie. They had persuaded him to get into his brother’s car to go to the hospital.

EMA: “So, we got a mid-50s- to 60-year-old male, schizophrenic and off his meds. We’ve got him calmed down. It’s looking like we can get his friends to take him to Louisville for a psych hold.”

EMTs were concerned the sight of a deputy might disrupt the progress they were making. On the body cam, you can hear Deputy Luke saying she might have to use her taser.

From Deputy Luke’s body cam, you can hear, “It’s possibly going to result in a taser. He’s being aggressive and chasing his friends, but EMA wants me to stand down.”

Freddie eventually stopped cooperating with EMTs and both deputies stepped in to help. Deputy May tries to get Freddie to put his seat belt on in the back of the car.

Instead, Freddie jumps out and appears to throw a punch at Deputy May. Both deputies deploy their tasers.

Deputy Luke’s body cam: “Taser deployed; taser deployed. Roll over now. Do it now. Roll over now.”

Both deputies tell Freddie to roll over and he lays on his back looking up at the deputies. Deputy Luke approaches Freddie, but he attempts to kick her and is tased again.

Deputy Luke’s body cam: “Roll over, Mr. Freddie. Do it now.”

Freddie stands up as deputies and other bystanders repeatedly tell him to get back down. He looks at deputies before turning and leaning against the car. He suddenly collapses.

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EMA moves toward him but he suddenly gets up again, as deputies and of his family tell him to stay down. Immediately after standing up, Deputy May tases Freddie again.

Deputy Luke asks EMA to help roll Freddie onto his stomach. As he is being rolled over, Deputy May tases him a fourth time causing both Deputies Luke and May to question what’s happening.

Deputy Luke: “What are you doing?”

Deputy May: “That was his hand, wasn’t it? He just tried to hit Gary.”

Deputy Luke: “No, no, they rolled him.”

Investigators say they never heard Freddie say anything on the scene. After deputies handcuff him, the emergency medical assistants sit him up and check his vital signs.

While Freddie was being evaluated at the scene, he became unresponsive and was taken to Burke Health, where he was pronounced dead, according to authorities.

In the investigator’s notes, Deputy May was the one who tased Freddie.

According to the report, Deputy May declined to give a statement to investigators under his attorney’s guidance. The I-TEAM reviewed the training of the two deputies going back to 2021.

Deputy Luke has one hour of use-of-force training and three hours of de-escalation training over the past three years. For Deputy May, the I-TEAM found no training for the use-of-force since 2021 and only three hours of de-escalation training over the past three years.

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