Shocking News of the Day: Tasers Kill
Thursday, October 22, 2009A week ago, Taser International released a bulletin that advised police officers to avoid shooting suspects in the chest because of the extremely low risk of an “adverse cardiac event.”
The advisory, issued in an Oct. 12 training bulletin, is the first time that Taser International has suggested there is any risk of a cardiac arrest related to the discharge of its stun gun.
But Taser officials said Tuesday that the bulletin does not state that Tasers can cause cardiac arrest. They said the advisory means only that law-enforcement agencies can avoid controversy over the subject if their officers aim at areas other than the chest.
Oh, an “extremely low risk?” And surely being shot with a taser doesn’t cause cardiac arrest, but just to minimize the possibility of linking a tasering with immediate death, aim the tasers elsewhere. Commandos at some local police departments in my area aren’t so sure that’s good advice.
But police are trained to aim for “center mass” — the chest — when deploying a gun or Taser, said Shelby Township Police Capt. Stephen Stanbury.
“We’ll have to further investigate this and get more information,” Stanbury said. “However, if we do need to change our training and start thinking about pointing the Tasers lower, we’ll do it.”
Locally, Warren police murdered 16-year-old Robert Mitchell earlier this year when they tasered this hulking and dangerous boy who was all of 5’2″ and 110 pounds.
miles says:
October 22nd, 2009 at 1:18 pm
An “adverse cardiac event” caused by being tased in the chest?
LOL—that would be “double-plus-un-good” wouldn’t it? I love the wordsmithing at play here. Why dont they just state the obvious? Getting tased with high voltage near your HEART might make it stop beating, and therefore kill you via a heart attack. If it could do it to a young healthy 16-year-old, it could do it to anybody. Tasers would be a great idea if every police officer had sound judgement and no malice or sadism within them, but Im afraid officers are humans and very liable to be flawed, so abuse of a weapon like a taser is practically guaranteed by human nature. If we were in a favela in Rio, I might empathize with the need to taze some of our inhabitants, but I dont think the US of A is that far gone yet outside of a few gang-ridden areas.
Sal says:
October 22nd, 2009 at 1:58 pm
One can only hope this to be the first note in a funeral dirge for Taser International (I know, poor pun). I wonder how this cya statement by TI will square with their Excited Delirium Syndrome defense when the Tom Swift And his Electric Rifle is associated with the death of someone.
I am sure this is an anomaly, as any member of U.S. law enforcement or the military would never employ torture against human beings.
Hmm, can we now look forward to reports of crotch shots from taser wielding state thugs?
cousin lucky says:
October 22nd, 2009 at 8:23 pm
I have to always remember when dealing with any police officer on any level that I am a civilian that most police officers place below the criminals they are paid to apprehend.
As Will Gregg says anyone can be arrested, or worse, for ” Contempt of Cop ” so I try to talk to them as I would address any developing child. In New York City a lot of the Police Officers are very scared of ordinary people. They will unholster their firearm at the drop of a hat and shoot you for any reason at all so you have to try to humor them until you can leave their presence.
Jim Fox says:
October 22nd, 2009 at 9:59 pm
There are Tasers (and guns) that have video cameras built in that record anytime the safety lock is not engaged. They should be required by law. Also, evaluation of video recorded of every incident, to see if use was warranted. Evaluation should be performed by a civilian task force that has the power to issue indictments, not just recommendations.
Tom says:
October 22nd, 2009 at 11:25 pm
You are all ignorant and uninformed citizens. Shame on you all for being so stupid. You, yes you, pay for those police officers to be on your streets. When was the last time any of you sat down and talked to these people you hire? Have you joined a citizens academy that I can promise your city officers to learn how these “thugs” work? I challenge any of you to actually learn for yourself rather than rely on the images selectively chosen for you to see. If the one time a year you talk to a police officer is when your getting a speeding ticket then of course your going to be bitter and resentful. But if you educated yourself then you would know there’s much more to police and police work than you could ever imagine.
Sal says:
October 23rd, 2009 at 11:34 am
Tom@11:25pm on 10/22: No, shame on you for blindly accusing others of being ignorant, uninformed and stupid without yourself knowing the insight, experiences, or backgrounds of others posting on this thread. You, by recklessly accusing others are guilty of your own charge. Your statement is laden with baseless assumptions.
I challenge YOU to consider when someone speaks contrary to your opinions, it may well be due to insight or experience which supports the position opposite your own.
Deen says:
October 23rd, 2009 at 12:33 pm
People seem to forget that the police are in that situation not because they want to be, but because a crime was/is committed, or there is a safety concern. The Taser is unholstered, predominantly, when a subject refuses to obey lawful instructions. It should be fired, as a last resort when dealing with someone who is not responding to instructions, and it is believed that a hands on approach will lead to a physical confrontation. If Tasers are used in this manor, and the suspect dies, then I’m sorry. The police have the right to protect themselves first, then the lives of others. As a former police officer, I know the dangers of having to go hands on with a person, and the dangers faced when engaged in a hands on attempt to control non-compliant subjects. The potential for injury is very high. I do feel for the families of any one that would die as a result of being tased, but the entire situation could have been avoided if the subject had complied with police requests. I myself own a Taser, and have been tased with my consent. I don’t think they’re as lethal as people who have no education or experience with the device believe it is. If you want to rant and rave about the lethality of Tasers, please do so from an educated position. Not on the ranting and ravings of others in the media. Do your homework. Research the device. Talk to Taser International and ask them why do they claim it’s not lethal. Try to substantiate their response. Stay ignorant and you’ll continue to look amazingly stupid to those who are educated and have done the research. Not that we know it all, but we have knowledge through education and experience. Who do you think is going to be more credible.
And if you lost your mind on day and decided to have a confrontation with law enforcement, would you rather they tase you, or just put a bullet in you?
clark says:
October 23rd, 2009 at 1:49 pm
Psft, every time I talk to a cop it cost me money, why would I go out of my way to talk to a pirate? Or for that matter talk to the leader of pirates? I don’t “hire” any cop and no cop “works” for me, if they do, their fired and I want to keep my money.
clark says:
October 23rd, 2009 at 1:56 pm
oops, shi… THEY’re fired. Oh but I can’t do that, so they’re not working for me, they’re working against me, to regulate me, to boss me and to spy on me. Call whatever a bully does anything you want, but it does not change what a bully does. I hope America educates themselves and sees what bully thug cops do everyday when they kill maim injure and take from the people, many of whom did nothing wrong. One good action does not make ten wrong actions ok, nor does it justify the group.
clark says:
October 23rd, 2009 at 2:57 pm
Dang it! I just read Gun Control: Schemed by Tyrants, Supported by Fools http://www.lewrockwell.com/gaddy/gaddy71.1.html just last night and already I’m being suckered into conversing with clueless brainwashed government-loving people. A person could substitute many different words in place of gun control and the article would still make sense, police is one such word. I’m finding it difficult not to bring a knife to a gun fight, but I *can* do it, I think.