<p>^^^</p>
<p>The reality is that a large percentage of the people interacting with police are under the influence of drugs or alcohol, extreme emotional duress, or a mental illness. Those people aren’t cooperative. If they were, they wouldn’t have been brought to the attention of the police.</p>
<p>This was an accident. Wasn’t it? I don’t get the impression the cop was trying to kill the kid with a taser for stepping out. Is it a standard procedure using a taser to deter? If the taser was used properly, shouldn’t we question why tasers are allowed instead of attacking law enforcement agents collectively?</p>
<p>Too many accidents, unfortunately. What is the proper use? What if the person being attacked doesn’t die? Do you know how much pain they endure? What is too much? Are we familiar with the latest upgrade to the taser? When does it become torture?</p>
<p>Igloo, we should question any time someone dies. Police carry guns and tasers. They should not use either of them indiscriminantly. Where I live, police testimony when defending excessive force suits is taken with a grain a salt, as we have heard so many ludicrous stories.</p>
<p>I think we are shooting the messenger here. I question why tasers are introduced if they are so prone to accidents and kill people? Do you let car makers sell their cars if they malfunction? If you don’t push the break in certain precise way, you may not able to stop your car and get killed? Don’t you require manufacturers make their product easier to use at a critical moment? Tasers used to be sold to dictaters for crowd control long before they showed up on streets in the US. I am scratching my head, why? Have we gotten more disorderly?</p>
<p>Igloo, police carry guns and tasers. Both are lethal, but tasers are less lethal. I don’t know if this taser malfunctioned, if the police over-reacted or both.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>What does “less lethal” mean? Do you have to try really hard to kill like punching? One brief tasering won’t kill but zapping for 5 minutes would? If so, did the police zap for 5 minutes to kill? Or was it the usual brief zap that killed the kid?</p>
<p>Any application of force can be lethal. Billy clubs can kill. Fists can kill. Falling down and hitting your head on the ground can kill. There was an incident in the Chicago burbs over the weekend where a 50-something man was hit in the chest with a softball and died. </p>
<p>Treat the police with respect and do what they tell you to do, and you won’t be on the receiving end of potentially lethal force of any kind. Teach your kids the same. If the police are in the wrong, that can be sorted out later.</p>
<p>The video report at this link (more complete than just the written part at the link):
[Teen</a> Dies After Being Hit With Taser Near UC Campus - :: Cincinnati news story :: LOCAL 12 WKRC-TV in Cincinnati](<a href=“http://www.local12.com/news/local/story/Teen-Dies-After-Being-Hit-With-Taser-Near-UC/3RlxHDWHD0qc594DiDxnrw.cspx]Teen”>http://www.local12.com/news/local/story/Teen-Dies-After-Being-Hit-With-Taser-Near-UC/3RlxHDWHD0qc594DiDxnrw.cspx)
includes statements from a witness to the event which indicate that Howard actually was being compliant.</p>
<p>"
Howard was previously stunned by a Taser during a Jan. 9, 2009, incident at North College Hill Junior High School. </p>
<p>Police officers said Howard had become ill while trying to lose weight for a wrestling match. Paramedics were called to the school to help, but officers said the teen was unresponsive until he suddenly jumped from his chair, growled and took an aggressive stance. </p>
<p>A coach attempted to wrap up Howard in a bear hug, and officers wrestled the teen to the ground but were unable to place him in handcuffs, so they said they shocked him with a Taser".</p>
<p>Read more: [Friends</a> Remember Teen Who Died In Taser Incident - Cincinnati News Story - WLWT Cincinnati](<a href=“Cincinnati News, Weather and Sports - Ohio News - WLWT Channel 5”>Cincinnati News, Weather and Sports - Ohio News - WLWT Channel 5)</p>
<p>Barrons, why put such a negative spin on the discussion? Why not post the following comment from his academic mentor?</p>
<p>“He was probably the most talented student as far as writing skills, oral, leadership; anytime I had trouble with the rest of the group he would help me out,” said Ekundayo Igeleka.
“The world didn’t get to see who he really was, to fully develop into the man he could have been,” Igeleka said.</p>
<p>Read more: [Friends</a> Remember Teen Who Died In Taser Incident - Cincinnati News Story - WLWT Cincinnati](<a href=“Cincinnati News, Weather and Sports - Ohio News - WLWT Channel 5”>Cincinnati News, Weather and Sports - Ohio News - WLWT Channel 5)</p>
<p>Website also includes videos, including demonstration of taser.</p>
<p>However, this also brings into discussion the treatment of athletes by coaches, especially those in the wresting world, who end up with eating disorders, so they can meet weigh in requirements. Starving (low blood sugar) and/or using steroids also lead to uncharacteristic violent behavior.</p>
<p>So, if one is to start placing blame, there is plenty to go around.</p>
<p>Well it appears to be a fact. I have made it through 6 decades without managing to get tased once and I can get pretty mouthy. I really don’t care what his class rank or talents were as it has nothing to do with things that happen at 3 am. As one coach said to his players–nothing good happens at 3 AM.</p>
<p>It appears to be a fact? Appears? Get real. Are you African American? I’m sure that raises the odds greatly, and tasers weren’t around for much of your life. Has there been any report of the race of the police officers?</p>
<p>3am on a college campus or outing is comparable to 9am for the rest of society.</p>
<p>No, Puerto Rican–how’s that on the scale? That was a college football coach BTW. And he was right.
I would think something that took place at a public school and led to a police action would be documented. So it appears like a reliable report.</p>
<p>Tasers are an extremely effective tool for the police. They RARELY have been the sole result of a death. Death when a taser has been used is more than often related to an underlying condition. In fact the case they lost was in regards to a California man who was under the influence of meth. (Get the right lawyer, or should I say jury, and you can win most any case. Just look at Casey Anthony.) Fists and clubs can do the job as well, but they usually leave lasting effects. The taser reduces the risk of injury to the officers and bystanders. I have been hit with a taser as a part of training and it is a horrible experience, but it’s not made for comfort. My small department has used it approximately fifty times in the past year and no one died as a result. In that year no officer discharged his firearm, though there were a few instances where it would have been okay to do so, but the taser was employed. I have used it on four occasions and it has worked every time. In fact one psychiatric patient thanked us for tasing him as he said it was what he needed! Yell and scream all you want, but do what the nice policeman tells you and you won’t be tased.</p>
<p>“My small department has used it approximately fifty times in the past year and no one died as a result.”</p>
<p>Or, YOU TASERED once a week/year, with two weeks off for bad behavior. </p>
<p>However, how is it that one boy was tasered TWICE in Cin., Ohio? What are their statistics and those of other police departments?</p>
<p>ONCE A WEEK/YEAR!!!</p>
<p>Police here in Cincinnati seem to use tasers when deadly force is not indicated. See the article below. As a resident, I can tell you that the use of tasers by the Cincinnati Police Department, UC Police and Hamilton County Sheriff’s Dept. have been a matter of considerable discussion.</p>
<p>[Police</a> use Taser on naked runner - UPI.com](<a href=“Police use Taser on naked runner - UPI.com”>Police use Taser on naked runner - UPI.com)</p>
<p>Reply to getting rid</p>
<p>You say - “My small department has used it approximately fifty times in the past year and no one died as a result”</p>
<p>Wish I knew the name of your town, so I could avoid. Small dept - every week you taser someone.</p>
<p>^ Depends on the department and the people they often have contact with. There are circumstances where use of a Taser is very warranted and is the best option to gain control of the situation. </p>
<p>Also consider that police officers usually get tased once a year themselves as part of their recertification process. Pretty sure none of them have died from it yet - guessing it would be pretty big news if a police officer died during taser recert.</p>
<p>Tasers tend to be dangerous when there is intoxication with certain drugs, an underlying heart condition, and use of the prongs. Which is why Tasers should preferably be used in drive stun mode and only in situations that truly warrant a “less lethal” option.</p>
<p>[Tasers</a>, School Police, & School Safety](<a href=“http://www.schoolsecurity.org/trends/tasers.html]Tasers”>http://www.schoolsecurity.org/trends/tasers.html)</p>
<p>How about the use of tasers on school children? Hitting and spanking is illegal in most states. </p>
<p>What about the tasing incident in Alaska with the you know who?</p>
<p>Carry concealed weapons permits are usually required for stun gun certification. I wonder what the ABA’s position is on stun guns and CCW and promoting their use on college websites.</p>