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Tristan Vereen

Age : 33

Gender : Male

Race : Black

Date : 09/11/2021

Location : Near McNeil Chapel Road

City : Longs

County : Horry

State : South Carolina

Agency : South Carolina Highway Patrol

Officer(s) :Whitney Blake Benton

Cause of Death : Gunshot

Event : Killed by police during foot pursuit following traffic stop and vehicle pursuit

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

On 09/11/2021, South Carolina Highway Patrol Master Trooper Whitney Blake Benton shot and killed 33-year-old Tristan Vereen following an attempted traffic stop, vehicle pursuit, foot pursuit and physical struggle in the Longs area of Horry County. Vereen was pronounced dead at Grand Strand Regional Medical Center at approximately 5 p.m.
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At approximately 3:47 p.m., Benton attempted to stop Vereen on S.C. 905 near S.C. 22. SCHP initially described the reason as an equipment violation. The subsequent solicitor's report specified that Benton observed several large cracks in Vereen's windshield and considered the damaged windshield unsafe equipment. Vereen's family and attorneys disputed that the cracked windshield provided a lawful basis for a traffic stop, arguing that South Carolina law prohibits a windshield obstruction but does not categorically prohibit a cracked windshield.
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Dashcam footage shows Vereen continuing driving while Benton pursued. Vereen made U-turns, drove onto the wrong side of the road at points and eventually drove onto a residential property near McNeil Chapel Road, where his Honda Element crashed into a utility building. Vereen got out and ran, and Benton pursued him on foot.
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Benton repeatedly ordered Vereen to stop and get on the ground and then fired his Taser, causing Vereen to fall. A white container fell from Vereen during the encounter; investigators subsequently reported finding small plastic bags containing cocaine, cocaine base, marijuana and fentanyl.
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Benton attempted to arrest Vereen and the two struggled on the ground. Benton initially attempted to use the Taser in drive-stun mode, then dropped it so he could use both hands to control Vereen. Vereen picked up Benton's Taser during the struggle. Surveillance footage shows Vereen using the Taser against Benton's neck. Investigators also documented a bite injury to Benton's forearm.
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The physical struggle lasted approximately 37 seconds. Vereen was on top of Benton when Benton drew his handgun and fired one round into Vereen's chest. Benton told investigators he believed shooting was his last option before Vereen could obtain his handgun. Benton suffered a dislocated shoulder requiring surgery as well as injuries associated with the Taser and bite.
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After Benton fired, dashcam audio recorded Vereen saying, "He killed me." Benton continued ordering Vereen to turn over and get on the ground. Surveillance video shows Vereen later staggering across the scene while removing his shirt as Benton followed with his handgun drawn.
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Benton also told investigators that during the foot pursuit he heard Vereen ask bystanders to shoot Benton. State investigators specifically noted that this alleged statement could not be heard on the available audio recording.
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The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division conducted the criminal investigation rather than SCHP. The 15th Circuit Solicitor's Office reviewed SLED's investigation and concluded in February 2022 that Benton acted in self-defense and would not face criminal charges. The solicitor determined that Benton had probable cause to believe Vereen was committing felony assault on a police officer while resisting arrest and posed an immediate threat of death or serious bodily injury when Benton fired.
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Vereen's family continued to dispute both the legality of the original stop and the use of deadly force. Their attorneys argued that the encounter originated with an unlawful stop because a cracked windshield by itself was not prohibited by South Carolina law. They publicly called the killing unlawful and sought further review.
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On 09/07/2023, Marion C. Vereen, administrator of Tristan Vereen's estate, filed a federal civil-rights and wrongful-death lawsuit against Benton individually. The complaint asserted a claim under 42 U.S.C. §1983 and state-law tort claims arising from Vereen's killing.
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Benton moved to dismiss the lawsuit. On 06/25/2024, U.S. District Judge Joseph Dawson III denied Benton's motion to dismiss, allowing the litigation to continue.
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The case ultimately settled. On 06/20/2025, the federal court approved a $250,000 wrongful-death settlement funded through South Carolina's liability insurance carrier. The settlement expressly contained no admission of liability or responsibility by Benton. The action was dismissed with prejudice following payment and distribution of the settlement.
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OFFICER BACKGROUND
The officer who killed Tristan Vereen was Whitney Blake Benton, identified in contemporary reporting as Master Trooper W.B. Benton of South Carolina Highway Patrol Troop 5.
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Benton had a documented prior complaint arising from another cracked-windshield traffic stop. In 2013, Benton stopped a driver named Holler for a cracked windshield and later discovered that the vehicle was unregistered and displayed another person's license plate. During the encounter Benton made comments about the man's painted toenails, asked whether he was wearing "girls' jeans," and made another remark when taking him to jail. SCHP reprimanded Benton for inappropriate and unprofessional remarks and for using tobacco while on duty.
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Benton was also previously accused of excessive force during a separate 2013 traffic stop involving Teko Washington. According to Washington's subsequent federal lawsuit, Benton attempted to stop Washington for speeding; Washington ran because he possessed a small amount of marijuana. The lawsuit alleged Benton used excessive force when he Tased and handcuffed Washington, causing back and wrist injuries. Washington filed the federal action in 2016. The case was subsequently dismissed.
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The earlier cracked-windshield complaint is directly notable in Vereen's case because Benton again initiated a traffic stop involving a cracked windshield. Vereen's attorneys challenged whether the windshield condition constituted a lawful traffic violation, while the solicitor concluded the visible cracks constituted unsafe equipment.
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Following Vereen's death, Benton's use of force was investigated by SLED and reviewed by the 15th Circuit Solicitor. The solicitor declined criminal charges in February 2022 and concluded the shooting constituted lawful self-defense.
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Vereen's estate nevertheless brought the 2023 federal civil-rights and wrongful-death action against Benton. His effort to have the case dismissed failed in June 2024, and the litigation ultimately ended in the court-approved $250,000 settlement in 2025 without an admission of liability.

SOURCE LINKS :

https://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/news/local/crime/article254264683.html
https://www.wbtw.com/news/local-news/horry-county/trooper-shoots-kills-man-after-crash-in-longs/
https://www.live5news.com/2021/09/12/trooper-involved-shooting-under-investigation-horry-county/
https://www.wbtw.com/news/grand-strand/i-believe-he-was-murdered-friends-family-of-man-killed-in-horry-county-officer-involved-shooting-want-justice/
https://wach.com/news/local/sc-trooper-involved-in-deadly-shooting-acted-in-self-defense-sled-reports
https://www.wmbfnews.com/2025/10/28/settlement-reached-lawsuit-over-deadly-trooper-involved-shooting-horry-county/
https://scdps.sc.gov/news/2021/091121
https://www.wmbfnews.com/2021/09/13/south-carolina-highway-patrol-identifies-trooper-deadly-officer-involved-shooting-longs-area/
https://www.wmbfnews.com/2021/09/14/coroner-identifies-man-killed-trooper-involved-shooting-longs-area/
https://www.wmbfnews.com/2021/09/24/let-me-see-your-hands-dashcam-footage-released-deadly-trooper-involved-shooting-longs/
https://www.live5news.com/2021/09/29/family-man-killed-trooper-involved-shooting-longs-calls-death-be-ruled-homicide/
https://www.southcarolinapublicradio.org/sc-news/2021-10-01/family-traffic-stop-that-led-to-fatal-shooting-was-unlawful
https://www.wmbfnews.com/2022/02/28/sled-investigation-determines-trooper-acted-self-defense-deadly-longs-shooting/
https://www.southcarolinapublicradio.org/sc-news/2022-03-01/sc-trooper-who-fatally-shot-man-in-fight-wont-be-charged
https://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/news/local/crime/article254618167.html
https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/south-carolina/scdce/4%3A2023cv04564/284011/33/
https://docs.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/south-carolina/scdce/4%3A2023cv04564/284011/65