WILMINGTON — On Thursday, June 5th, a Wilmington Police Department operation in the 1200 block of South 8th Street culminated in the in-custody death of 41-year-old Lavar Wright.
READ MORE: Three charged after standoff, drug seizure on Wilshire Boulevard
Authorities from the WPD’s Narcotics Enforcement Unit, supported by their SWAT team, executed a search warrant stemming from a months-long investigation into Wright, a convicted felon suspected of illicitly possessing a firearm and distributing crack cocaine from the residence.
During the warrant’s execution, distraction devices, commonly known as flash bangs, were deployed outside the residence. Occupants were verbally directed to exit with their hands raised. After a female exited and was detained, Wright emerged, cooperated, and was promptly handcuffed and allowed to sit in a chair on the front porch. A 9mm handgun and drug paraphernalia were confiscated during the search.
Shortly after being apprehended, Wright experienced a sudden medical emergency while still on the porch. Detectives present promptly radioed for emergency medical services and initiated first aid. Upon EMS arrival, officers and paramedics assisted in transferring him to an ambulance for hospital transport. Investigators were later informed that Wright had passed away.
This event is legally defined as an in-custody death. As a result, Wilmington Police Chief Donny Williams has formally initiated a request for the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation to independently review the circumstances surrounding Wright’s passing.
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