The funeral for a Greenville man, who died after being tased multiple times by police, took place Friday.
Visitation for 39-year-old Andrew Torres was held at Thomas McAfee Funeral Home on 639 N. Main St. in downtown Greenville.
The funeral was to be at the chapel.
Burial was scheduled to follow in Graceland East Memorial Park.
Torres died Monday, after police officers showed up at his Greenville home to have him mentally committed. Torres's brother, Frank, says Andrew suffered from schizophrenia and bipolar disorder for 19 years.
For much of that time, Torres says his brother was able to control the disease and living a productive life.
"There came a time when the medication was less effect, and it was necessary for us to have him involuntarily committed."
Torres tells a different side of the events that led up to the tasering incident on Monday.
"We were assured by the police department that the individuals who showed up to my parents house would have special training and understand how to deal with the mentally ill." Torres says, when officers arrived, Andrew ran to his bedroom and officers "immediately charged the door." He says one officer then reached around the door and "blindly tased Andrew."
"Andrew was not a criminal," Torres says. "He was not being arrested for a crime. He was being escorted to the hospital."
Through a spokesman, Greenville Police Chief Terri Wilfong says she cannot respond to the specific allegations because she "doesn't know all the facts of the situation."
Wilfong says the incident is still being investigated by SLED.
While they do not blame the officers, the Torres family is hoping the incident will force changes to the system. Torres says officers need more training for these types of situations.
"We think there's a lack of education."
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