Coroner identifies man killed by police in Horry County
A man who was shot and killed by police in Horry County this weekend has been identified.
The man was identified as Tristan Vereen, 33. Vereen was from the Longs area, according to the Horry County Coroner’s Office.
Vereen was shot by a South Carolina Highway Patrol trooper and died at Grand Strand Medical Center about 5 p.m. Saturday, according to Horry County Deputy Coroner Darris Fowler. The cause of his death was a gunshot wound, Fowler said.
Master Trooper W.B. Benton is the state trooper who shot Vereen, according to the South Carolina Department of Public Safety (SCDPS).
Benton was also injured in the shooting and taken to the hospital, according to SCDPS. The type and extent of his injuries are unclear.
Benton’s injuries were non-life-threatening. He has been released from the hospital and is scheduled for surgery for his injuries, according to SCDPS.
Benton is assigned to Troop 5, whose coverage area includes Horry County. He has been with the South Carolina Highway Patrol since 2010.
WMBF reported that Benton was patrolling on S.C. 905 near S.C. 22 when he tried to perform a traffic stop for an equipment violation just after 3:45 p.m., but the car sped away.
There was a short chase and Vereen crashed his car into a utility building in a yard near McNeil Chapel Road, according to SCHP.
The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) conducts investigations after police shootings at the request of the agency involved in the incident.
This story was originally published September 14, 2021 at 11:02 AM.
