Ex Premier League Footballer Dalian Atkinson Tasered To Death

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3741176/Man-38-dies-police-shoot-Taser-Telford.html

My thoughts go out to his poor father.

[andy-hughes]

I think your headline is potentially misleading AOG - the phrase 'tasered to death' could be taken to infer that the police tasered Mr Atkinson multiple times until he died.

The reality (and obviously not all facts are known yet) is more likely that he was tasered once, and died, having a weak heart, which the police would not have been aware of - and which had they known, may not have been their course of action.

[Islay]

Terrible but misleading headline

[anotheoldgit]

Islay

/// Terrible but misleading headline ///

What is misleading about it?

He was once a Premier League Footballer, his name was Dalian Atkinson and he was Tasered three times, and now he is dead?

*** The ex-striker, who made his name playing for Aston Villa in England's top flight in the 1990s, was 'very agitated' shortly before he was reportedly shot three times by officers outside his family home. ***

Don't try and follow other posters, when they give out the wrong information.

[sp1814]

Very sad story.

Reminds me of a story on '24 Hours in Police Custody' where a lad lamped another bloke outside a nightclub. The victim fell, hit his head and was pronounce brain dead a couple of days later.

The attacker was then up on a murder charge.

It's the cruelty of life...something that may (on any other day) have resulted in nothing more than bruising and a shock, on this occasion has resulted in a death.

[andy-hughes]

I stand corrected - I did not pick up from the link that Mr Atkinson was reportedly tasered three times - but this is still subject to verification since it is from a witness statement.

[Mamyalynne]

A tragic end to a life.

[EcclesCake]

There is something discomfiting about this (I suspect) disingenuous post.

[Islay]

AOG your aggressive manner is unwarranted. I do not follow others I am not a sheep. The headline is misleading.

[nailit]

TASERS are lethal weapons which ought to be banned.
This list of TASER deaths is from the USA alone
http://electronicvillage.blogspot.co.uk/2009/05/taser-related-deaths-in-united-states.html

Whatever happened to pepper spray and truncheons?

[andy-hughes]

Nailit - both pepper spray and truncheons require being within striking distance of a violent individual. The appeal of the taser is that it is instantly effective (in most cases) and can be applied from a relatively safe distance.

In extreme cases of either sheer physical size, or an overdose of adrenaline and / or alcohol or drugs, a single taser may not work, requiring more applications, but this has heightened risks of fatality.

I am sure everyone's thoughts go out to Mr Atkinson's family and friends, and to the police involved in this terrible tragedy.

[nailit]

// both pepper spray and truncheons require being within striking distance of a violent individual//
The police coped well enough with these tools before tasers

[nailit]

and relatively few (if any) died

[hc4361]

nailit, that was before everyone had a phone with recording capabilities and the police could 'get stuck in' without getting struck off.

[andy-hughes]

Nailit - //// both pepper spray and truncheons require being within striking distance of a violent individual//
The police coped well enough with these tools before tasers //

The police coped with call boxes and whistles.

Coping is not what you want for a law enforcement body - you want them with equipment that has evolved with the changing circumstances of the society they police - and that includes the proportionate increase in the physical size of adults, and the effects of drugs and alcohol.

[nailit]

//nailit, that was before everyone had a phone with recording capabilities and the police could 'get stuck in' without getting struck off. //
Yes I know hc. Ive been on the receiving end of a coppers size 10s more than once.

[anotheoldgit]

Must admit tasers can prove to be lethal and in some cases as this where certain medical conditions are involved they can prove fatal.

But until something more humane can be invented we obviously must still use this method to calm violent people, so that they can be arrested safely.

In some cases where there is plenty of room, they could perhaps throw a net over them.

[nailit]

Andy, you would advocate that our police carry guns then?

[youngmafbog]

I doubt Any would advocate it but I certainly would.

An unfortunate incident, thoughts go to his family as clearly something has gone badly wrong in this mans life and his apparent fall from grace.

[hc4361]

Most police officers don't want to carry guns routinely. They didn't join to become killers and those that do have the aptitude and skill with firearms can apply to join the firearms division.