Deputy suspended after video shows punches during an arrest in Kershaw County, SLED investigating

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - A Kershaw County Sheriff’s Deputy is under investigation by SLED after being suspended Monday.

The Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO) drug unit arrested a suspect in an investigation. A video distributed online shows a deputy striking the man with closed fist during the arrest.

Neither KCSO nor SLED have released the name of the deputy.

KCSO said in a statement that the deputy was suspended after viewing a video of an arrest of a man named Willie Crosby from Monday afternoon,

“The video was brought to the attention of Sheriff Lee Boan. After viewing the video, the sheriff made the decision to immediately suspend the investigator and request SLED to investigate the entire incident.”

Boan said to WIS he was contacted by multiple people about the video. He shared that after viewing it he suspended the deputy seen punching Crosby.

Boan shared that Willie was arrested on warrants from several weeks ago. During that incident he attempted to get away and backed into a patrol car while his infant son was in his vehicle.

He was arrested Monday on charges of possession with intent to distribute marijuana, failure to stop for blue lights, resisting arrest, no SC drivers license, and child endangerment.

The resisting arrest charge was in relation to the previous incident.

A representative from SLED said on the investigation, “SLED was requested by the Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office to investigate a use of force incident. More information may be available in the future as agents continue to investigate.”

Crosby’s attorney Seth Rose told WIS that Crosby had been granted bond on a $10,000 surety bond.

Crosby’s girlfriend and the mother of his child Harlie Bannister filmed the video.

She said the deputies arrived at their home and asked for Crosby.

Bannister she said he was in boxers, and deputies prevented him from going to a room to put on clothes.

She said they put him on a couch and began getting physical, which prompted her to film the incident.

“All three of them were on top of him and they had his hands and he could not move. That’s when I realized if my camera wasn’t out there’s no telling how bad it could have gotten,” she said.

WIS met with her outside the MUSC Kershaw hospital, where she told WIS he was getting checked for a concussion, jaw injuries and shoulder injuries.

“I don’t want nobody to have to go through that. I don’t want nobody- I can only imagine the families that have lost somebody to police brutality because if I would’ve lost him, it would have really hurt me. Nobody deserves to be put through that no matter what,” she said.

She said she proceeded to share the video that evening, garnering widespread Midlands attention.

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