Pubdate: Sat, 12 Feb 2005
Source: Spartanburg Herald Journal (SC)
Copyright: 2005 The Spartanburg Herald-Journal
Contact:  http://www.goupstate.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/977
Author: Janet S. Spencer

INVESTIGATION CONTINUES IN DEATH OF DRUG SUSPECT

A Friday autopsy showed a 24-year-old man died by a gunshot wound to
the head when two undercover sheriff's deputies opened fire on him.

Limited information was released in the Thursday night death of Aaron
Clark Gray of 145 Raintree Drive as the investigation continued, said
Chief Investigator Brad Wall with the Spartanburg County Coroner's
Office.

Gray died in Spartanburg Regional Medical Center at 9:18 p.m.
Thursday.

Maj. Dan Johnson with the Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office said the
deputies reported Gray tried to run over them with the car he drove
after a drug buy was completed and they attempted to arrest him.

The two officers met with Gray about 7 p.m on Overhill Circle near
Highway 9 where the shooting occurred, Johnson said.

The State Law Enforcement Division was called in to investigate Gray's
death.

Gray's mother, Diane Landrum, said Friday afternoon that she could not
comment on her son's death.

"I just haven't grasped it all yet," she said. "I don't want to talk
about it."

She did say that her son was a student at Spartanburg Technical
College, where he studied electronics.

Johnson said the names of the deputies who were involved have not been
released. They have been placed on administrative leave with pay until
investigations by SLED and an internal probe by the Sheriff's Office are
completed.

"The officers were debriefed and will have counseling available to
them," Johnson said.

Authorities said that Gray did not have an extensive criminal
background, but did have a case pending for trial in General Sessions
Court on a charge of possession with intent to distribute crack.

The drug deal that claimed Gray's life was similar to one in December
2003, in which an undercover officer was hit by a car driven by Adrian
Kenyotte Jeter, 32, of 295 Valley High Drive, Inman.

Jeter was arrested after deputies fired multiple shots on West Henry
Street in the city of Spartanburg at a car wash that is close to the
main Post Office and one of the city's largest churches, Bethel United
Methodist.

No one was injured in the gunfire.

The incident occurred during a busy time -- just after 1
p.m.

The officer who was hit by Jeter's car had a broken leg, and Jeter was
taken into custody after a car chase when nearby officers joined the
pursuit.

Jeter was injured when he crashed his car a couple of miles away and
was treated in Spartanburg Regional Medical Center before he was taken
to jail.

A Sheriff's Office spokesman said of the earlier incident that the
deputies were justified in their actions because their lives were
threatened.

Jeter was charged with two counts of assault and battery with intent
to kill, trafficking cocaine, illegal possession of a firearm,
resisting arrest and failing to stop for a blue light.

He pleaded guilty in April 2004 and was sentenced to 18 years in
prison.
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