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Family protests death of Hancock County man who died during traffic stop

Friends and family gathered outside of the Hancock County courthouse to protest after they say his death doesn't make sense.

Sparta — Shouts of "Long Live Quane" and "We want justice" rang outside of the Hancock County Courthouse on Friday after loved ones gathered to protest the death of Daquane Williams.

Williams is the Hancock County man who died after he ran during a traffic stop on Wednesday. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is investigating his death and said early findings determined that Williams had self-inflicted wounds. He pointed a gun at Hancock County deputies and had "brief physical contact" with a Georgia State Patrol trooper. His gun went off several times, striking him. His loved ones say that doesn't make sense.

"We want answers, we want to know what's going on. We want to know exactly what happened from beginning to end," said Mikaila Hines, Williams' fiancee.

They stood in the pouring rain shouting his name, demanding real answers to his death. Hines and friend Jerica Wyatt said they had not been given additional information after they were taken to the Hancock County Sheriff's office following the traffic stop.

Wyatt said Williams' death still doesn't feel real.

"I'm traumatized, really. I just feel like it's a nightmare I can't wake up from," she said.

Until late Friday, there was still no clarification as to what "brief physical contact" meant in the GBI preliminary statement. Nelly Miles sent a statement to a WMAZ reporter to clarify:

"Following a brief pursuit, Williams brandished a firearm in the direction of an officer, at which time, a Trooper pushed Williams. Williams then fell in a ditch. Following that, his firearm discharged multiple times."

That likely will not quell any of the hurt or disbelief from family and friends. They will try and remember as they best knew him, a kind person and a protector.

"He was a good person. He didn't care what people said about you. He treated you the same. Everybody that came around, he treated you the same. He helped everybody he could," Wyatt said.

The family said they have reached out to the NAACP about further investigating Williams' death. An autopsy report should be available from the Hancock County coroner's office on Monday.

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