Taser Deaths
TASER Deaths in Florida Spark Controversy
Police have long used TASER guns to put down offending criminals who just don’t want to calm down on their own. In Jacksonville, Florida, things are backfiring, though. Though the use of the controversial devices has been supported by studies that found little chance of death associated with using the TASER, two deaths within one week in the city have some wondering where they went wrong.
Police had to use the device to subdue the man after he fought and wrestled with police. A few days later, he passed away in a North Florida hospital.
According to police reports, the offender crashed his card into another automobile on one of the city’s busiest streets. The man didn’t want to follow standard accident protocol and tried his best to escape the situation. He later attempted to make his way into a home in the area.
According to published reports, the man wasn’t in a good state of mind. Local witnesses told police that they believed the man to be under the influence of any number of illegal drugs. This was part of the reason why police felt the need to use the TASER gun on the man.
Police use of TASER guns is justified in most cases, but there seems to be some discussion over this particular case. On one hand, it is clear that the man was out of control and needed to be controlled in some shape or fashion. The problem in this case was that police might have chosen to use it a little bit too much. After the criminal started a fight with the officers who were attempting to arrest him, the police personnel used the TASER stun gun on him three times.
An autopsy for the man is pending and many are anticipating the results, especially given the situation in the city of Jacksonville. Earlier in the week, another man passed away after being struck with the TASER gun. That man was struck by the device on his clothes and the police had to strike him twice.
Much of the controversy over the two unrelated events seems to be based upon the excessive force, as well as the distance from which the device was fired. In both cases, the police officers were thought to be within a few feet of the criminal, a range close enough where they might take him down without the use of the stun gun. In both cases, officers chose instead to use a high powered TASER, which according to police officials, was the right move in this case. Still, two people are dead after police took action into their hands and made use of a device that was previously thought to be completely non-lethal.
The Jacksonville Police Department indicated that they would take another look at their policy in regards to the TASER guns that their officers carry. Though there was no indication that changes would be made, they did give notice that they would take a look into the safety of the devices.
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