Richmond deputy fired after abuse allegation

A Richmond County deputy has been fired and is facing criminal charges after he overreacted in punishing an unruly 12-year-old, police said.

Deputies were called to a home in the 2800 block of Anne Street earlier this week after a neighbor reported seeing the boy being physically abused by a uniformed deputy.

According to a sheriff ’s office news release, Deputy Alton Walker went to a friend’s home after work to help him discipline the child.

“I’ve never seen such an egregious act by a deputy,” Sheriff Richard Roundtree said Wednesday. “I’m appalled and saddened by it.”

Roundtree said parents often seek deputies to frighten children into good behavior. The boy’s parents did not ask for such extensive “scaring” and will not face any charges in the case.

“This is beyond any scared-straight program,” he said.

Police said Walker, who had been with the agency since August, handcuffed the child to a basketball goal in the backyard and hit him several times in the face with an open hand and once in the chest with a closed fist. Walker then pulled out his stun gun, pointed it at the child and “arced it” in the child’s direction in an attempt to scare him. The weapon never made contact with the child. Walker is also accused of striking the child on the legs with his baton.

A release stated the only visible marks on the child were to his wrists. He was checked at the scene by EMS.

Walker was taken to the Richmond County jail on a hold while officials continued to obtain evidence and consulted with the district attorney’s office. On Wednesday morning, investigators applied for and obtained arrest warrants for Walker on felony charges of false imprisonment and cruelty to children in the first degree. Because Walker was represented as a Richmond County deputy during the incident, the warrants had to be signed by a Superior Court judge.