Man dies after fight with Officers

GREENVILLE, S.C. --
A Greenville man is dead after an altercation with police officers at a home on Augusta Street.

Greenville Police Department officials said family asked for officers to take a man into custody for an involuntary psychiatric commitment Monday afternoon.

When officers arrived, there was an altercation between two of the officers and the man, police said.

Investigators said Andrew Torres, 39, was taken to Greenville Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead just before 6 p.m.

One of the officers involved was also taken to a hospital for treatment. Greenville police spokesman Jason Rampey said the officer was "scuffed up."

Rampey confirmed two officers were forced to deploy Tasers after the situation turned violent.

The victim's mother was too upset to go on camera but told News 4 that officers used Tasers six times in front of his sisters.

The mother said her son was suffering from a form of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

For years the family turned to National Alliance On Mental Illness in Greenville for help.

They attended support groups and education classes to learn how to deal with mental illness.

As police cars surrounded the Torres home Monday evening, NAMI was meeting down the street.

"We understand their son had not been taking his medicine," said Fletcher Mann, NAMI Greenville program director. "His condition worsened (and the) family was seeking to go through the legal process of commitment," he said.

To families living with mental illness, Andrew's death is another painful reminder that the system doesn't always work.

"It is very much every family's worst nightmare. It's our worst nightmare in NAMI," said Mann.

An autopsy is scheduled for Tuesday morning.

State Law Enforcement Division is now handling the investigation.

Rampey said the two police officers involved have been placed on administrative leave, which is standard procedure in investigation of this type.