Man Dies After Being Tasered in Vancouver Airport

Cell phone video of an unarmed immigrant man who died after being tasered in a Vancouver airport was broadcast last night on Canadian television. It promises to renew debate about the safety of what are supposed to be non-lethal devices.

From the New York Times:

Mr. Dziekanski, a 40-year-old construction worker, had arrived in Vancouver to begin a new life with his mother. After a 10 hour delay caused by immigration processing, Mr. Dziekanski became upset when he could not find his mother, who had returned home.

Unable to speak English, Mr. Dziekanski became distressed and began shouting in Polish, moving furniture around, shoving equipment off a desk in an arrival area and, at one point, throwing a chair. His actions soon attracted the attention of other passengers and security officials.

Moments later, four policemen arrived. Dziekanski walked away with his arms raised; there "was a brief conversation followed by a loud sound, apparently a Taser shot, and Mr. Dziekanski fell to the ground screaming in pain." Three officers then subdued Dziekanski and appeared to administer another taser shot.

An autopsy showed no sign of drugs or alcohol, but was unable to establish a cause of death. CTV reports that 16 people have died in
Canada this year after being tasered. Taser International maintains that the devices are not lethal, but much of the supporting research has been funded by the company. That doesn't disqualify it -- but it does raise concern.

It might not be possible to scientifically quantify the safety of tasers in real-world settings, or compare the results of their use to what would have happened in their absence. Given this ambiguity and tragedies like that in Vancouver, guidelines need to be established to make tasering less routine. Tasers were originally meant for situations that would otherwise require firearms, but their use has definitely expanded beyond that.
*
Image: YouTube*

Death in Vancouver Prompts Debate Over Taser Use in Canada [New York Times]

See Also:

• Don't Tase Me, Bro: Get Used to It