Canadian stun gun death on video

zimmy61 · 11-15-2007, 06:11 AM

Quote:

Canadian stun gun death on video

The video shows Mr Dziekanski being pinned down by police. Credit: CBC

Video Link
http://news.bbc.co.uk/player/nol/new...m&asb=1&news=1

Amateur video
Video footage has been released in Canada showing the last moments of an immigrant who died after being stunned with a Taser by police.
Robert Dziekanski, 40, of Pieszyce, Poland, was restrained by police after becoming agitated at Vancouver International Airport on 14 October.

Mr Dziekanski, who spoke no English, was declared dead at the scene by an emergency medical team.

The incident is being investigated by police, the airport and the coroner.

See how a Taser works
Police spokesman Cpl Dale Carr said the video was just one piece of evidence, and urged people to wait for the results of the inquest.

Mr Dziekanski, a construction worker, was emigrating to Canada to join his mother, who lived in the western province of British Colombia.

The incident has prompted a debate about police use of Taser stun guns by police in Canada.

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation says up to 18 people have died after being stunned by a Taser in Canada since 2003.

Screams

The video was shot by Canadian traveller Paul Pritchard and handed over to police, and has only just been returned to him.

It starts before the police arrive, with Mr Dziekanski seen through a glass wall in a customs area. He appears agitated, sweating and breathing heavily. Airport security officials and passengers watch from the other side.

Mr Dziekanski was agitated and sweating. Credit: CBC

Having landed 10 hours earlier, he is seen pacing back and forth through an automatic door, standing briefly in the doorway with a small folding table, and then later with a chair.

At one point, he takes what looks like a laptop computer off a counter and throws it to the ground, and then throws the small table against the glass wall.

Four policemen then walk into view. They walk through the glass doors towards Mr Dziekanski, who turns his back on them. Witnesses say he appeared to pick up a stapler.

Seconds later, Mr Dziekanski is stunned by a Taser and falls down screaming and convulsing.

He is stunned a second time again, and then the police officers restrain him on the floor. Mr Dziekanski's screams die down, and he is seen lying still.

A voice is heard saying "code red", which is code for a medical emergency.

An autopsy found no sign of drugs or alcohol in Mr Dziekanski's system, and failed to pinpoint the cause of death.

Airport mix-up

Walter Kosteckyj, the victim's family lawyer, said Mr Dziekanski's mother had seen portions of the video and had approved its release to the public.

"She had a son in distress, he was looking for help, he was frightened, and he didn't get that help," Mr Kosteckyj said.

He said he was disturbed by the video because Mr Dziekanski was not violent.

"I was expecting to see a confrontation, a discussion and things go sideways, then the tasering... That's not what you see," he said.

Mr Dziekanski was coming to Canada to be with his mother, Zofia

Mr Dziekanski had boarded a plane for the first time a day earlier in Germany, and the pair had arranged to meet at the baggage carousel in the international terminal.

Neither of them knew the baggage carousel was inside a secure area, with no view of the public arrivals hall area, except for a short distance through sliding glass doors, Mr Kosteckyj said.

No airport, customs or security employees at the airport apparently tried to help either of them, he added.

Eventually Mr Dziekanski emerged into the public area, but his mother had left after six hours and Mr Dziekanski apparently panicked, the lawyer said.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7095875.stm

sunflower · 11-15-2007, 06:20 AM

My own conviction about tasers is that some officers are too wiling to use it on anyone - like a new toy they're dying to play with. It's use seems highly inappropriate and completely unnecessary in many cases.

I wonder what the stats are for taser-related deaths in the US?

wayside · 11-15-2007, 06:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zimmy61

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7095875.stm

I saw the video on CNN. I didn't quite understand the need for the Taser and certainly didn't see the need for a second jolt. A stapler is hardly a dangerous weapon. There were four rather large police officers there, I think they could have managed to subdue this man without two doses of 50,000,000 volts. Also, the technique of having a two hundred pound man placing a knee between your shoulder blades has to be questioned by all police departments. Reading I have done demonstrates that this prevents the person being restrained from breathing and caused them to struggle more violently just to breath. More struggling - more pressure - possible fatal results.

Heretic · 11-15-2007, 06:45 AM

I don't think it was the taser. The fact that one guy put his knee to the man's neck likely has more to do with it. I say the carrotid artery was pitched off and he asphyxiated. The autopsy will confirm that with bruising of the artery walls.

voodoo · 11-15-2007, 07:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sunflower

I wonder what the stats are for taser-related deaths in the US?

Sorry, ma'm, that's a state secret.

Duvidoo · 11-15-2007, 07:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wayside

I think they could have managed to subdue this man without two doses of 50,000,000 volts.

Whoa! And I was reeling when I heard the figure 50,000 volts ... the figure above sounds more like what Dr Frankenstein needed to animate his creature.

chambers92 · 11-15-2007, 08:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sunflower

My own conviction about tasers is that some officers are too wiling to use it on anyone - like a new toy they're dying to play with. It's use seems highly inappropriate and completely unnecessary in many cases.

I wonder what the stats are for taser-related deaths in the US?

I agree, they're over used and are even used on kids.

Tasers can kill people with underlying medical conditions and should only be used as a last resort if at all. And they should never be used on kids.

wayside · 11-15-2007, 09:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duvidoo

Whoa! And I was reeling when I heard the figure 50,000 volts ... the figure above sounds more like what Dr Frankenstein needed to animate his creature.

I'm not quite certain what is going on with police worldwide. We just had another police shooting here on the east coast, East New York...unarmed man, they thought his comb was a gun and twenty rounds were fired. Twenty rounds! If this were an isolated occurance I could understand an over reaction, but it seems to becoming commonplace.

bigbrowndog · 11-15-2007, 09:09 AM

I don't understand why he needed tasered the second time.

I don't really understand the need for #1 either,

but #2 is definitely not needed, he could have been handcuffed
at that point.

These boys are happy with their toys.

He was in the airport for hours, they knew he was not a terrorist.

Christ, be careful out there people--they want to use you
like a video game.

zimmy61 · 11-15-2007, 09:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigbrowndog

I don't understand why he needed tasered the second time.

I don't really understand the need for #1 either,

but #2 is definitely not needed, he could have been handcuffed
at that point.

These boys are happy with their toys.

He was in the airport for hours, they knew he was not a terrorist.

Christ, be careful out there people--they want to use you
like a video game.

I always understood that tasers were originally intended to be used by the police as a non-lethal alternative to guns. It just seems that they're being used in situations that prior to their introduction wouldn't have warranted an officer removing his firearm from the holster. It also appears that the incidents of taser related deaths in otherwise healthy individuals is becoming pretty commonplace.

11-15-2007, 06:20 AM	#2 (permalink)
sunflower Latin Lover Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Central Fla. Posts: 2,594 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	My own conviction about tasers is that some officers are too wiling to use it on anyone - like a new toy they're dying to play with. It's use seems highly inappropriate and completely unnecessary in many cases. I wonder what the stats are for taser-related deaths in the US? __________________ “During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act”. *George Orwell* ************************************ The owners of this country know the truth. It's called the American Dream....'cos you have to be asleep to believe it. George Carlin http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r...m8fo8ne6xy.gif
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11-15-2007, 06:45 AM	#4 (permalink)
Heretic Master of Quill-Fu Space Invaders Champion! Pool Jam - 10 Minute Game Champion! Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Taylorsville, UT [stuck in the 20th century]. Posts: 8,302 My Mood: Blog Entries: 7 Thanks: 37 Thanked 188 Times in 143 Posts	I don't think it was the taser. The fact that one guy put his knee to the man's neck likely has more to do with it. I say the carrotid artery was pitched off and he asphyxiated. The autopsy will confirm that with bruising of the artery walls. __________________ "Enough!!" -so rang Barack Obama's voice off the walls of Mile High Stadium Last edited by Heretic; 11-15-2007 at 07:07 AM.
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11-15-2007, 09:09 AM	#9 (permalink)
bigbrowndog Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 853 My Mood: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I don't understand why he needed tasered the second time. I don't really understand the need for #1 either, but #2 is definitely not needed, he could have been handcuffed at that point. These boys are happy with their toys. He was in the airport for hours, they knew he was not a terrorist. Christ, be careful out there people--they want to use you like a video game. __________________ http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...antasleigh.jpg help people eat for Christmas http://www.freerice.com/index.php
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