SC police officer arrested, charged for punching suspect and lying in report
A former police office was arrested after lying about an incident where he allegedly punched a suspect the face while subdued on the ground, according to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division.
Joshua William Norris, 27, was charged Tuesday with 3rd degree assault and battery and misconduct in office, following an incident on Oct. 4, 2025, where Norris unlawfully punched a suspect in the face while he was on the ground and being tased by another officer, according to an arrest warrant.
At no time did the suspect attempt to strike Norris — who was working for the Lake City Police Department — despite a use-of-force report by Norris, indicating he had not hit the suspect, the warrant said.
An investigation revealed that Norris lied in the report and did, in fact, punch the suspect, according to the warrant.
Norris was booked into the Florence County Detention Center, where he was released on a $6,090 bond, according to court records.
