Shoplifting arrest ends in death

the Register Guard ^ | 8 Nov 02 | AP

[Glutton]

OLYMPIA (AP) - A man who had just been arrested for investigation of shoplifting died after he was hit with a jolt with a Taser stun gun and wrestled into submission by police.

Officers Jeff Jordan and Paul Bakala were placed on paid leave following the episode Thursday afternoon at Bayview Thriftway, and the investigation has been turned over to the Thurston County sheriff's office, police said.

An autopsy was pending.

``It's frustrating because we don't know why the man died,'' city police Cmdr. Tor Bjornstad said. ``He could have had a pre-existing medical condition, or there could have been drugs or alcohol involved, but at this point, we just don't know.''

The man, whose name was being withheld, lived in the south Puget Sound area, Bjornstad said.

Bjornstad said Jordan was sent to the store after an employee reported that a security guard was fighting in the parking lot with someone suspected of shoplifting.

As the man reached for a handgun in his waistband after pushing the guard toward a car, Jordan fired his Taser, but the electric jolt failed to subdue the man, according to a police report.

Bakala arrived and helped Jordan wrestle the man into submission. They put him in handcuffs, seized his gun and put him in a patrol car, then noticed a few minutes later that he was not breathing, the police report said.

The man was pronounced dead shortly after being rushed to Providence St. Peter Hospital.

[God is good]

Moral to the story: Always wear a rubber suit when attempting to shot a policeman.

[Thinkin' Gal]

Bakala arrived and helped Jordan wrestle the man into submission. They put him in handcuffs, seized his gun and put him in a patrol car, then noticed a few minutes later that he was not breathing, the police report said.

Guess he preferred to die rather than convert.

[End Times Sentinel]

This is really scary!  It might not be safe for any of us to shoplift, fight with a security guard in a parking lot, and pull out a gun and attempt to shoot the security officer without some jack booted thugs showing up to kill us with a tazer gun.

 

The cops obviously should have just let the guy shoot the security officer and let him go.

 

What's that handle for the doughnut watch ping list?

 

 

Owl_Eagle

”Guns Before Butter.”

[Ken522]

``It's frustrating because we don't know why the man died,'' city police Cmdr. Tor Bjornstad said.

Gee, that's got to be a mighty hard question - getting hit with several thousand volts would rarely even raise an eyebrow among most well-adjusted Americans (sarcasm intended).

[eccentric]

Was he Black? If he wasn't black, no one cares.

[<1/1,000,000th%]

Gee, that's got to be a mighty hard question - getting hit with several thousand volts would rarely even raise an eyebrow among most well-adjusted Americans (sarcasm intended).

Rodney King was tased twice and it had no effect on him. PCP will prevent you from being taken down by a taser. This perp was probably taking PCP in the hopes that he could get off a shot before he could be subdued.

[Jesse]

If you can't do the time, don't do the crime.

Eternity is forever.

[lelio]

If you can't stand the Amps don't stuff mechantdise down your Pants.

[11B3]

How odd - from my experiences the Thurston County Sheriffs are pretty decent LEOs - generally quite professional in their behavior. You never see a nervous 22 year old with a new shiny badge and a shaking gun hand among them. The perp probably went into OD mode from the electricity. The Deputies had the right to use their handguns on this guy instead of the Taser - same result.

[cmsgop]

Exactly Right !

[MarkL]

Something similar happened in KC... I'm still looking for more information.

I guess a homeless man had shoplifted something, and he was beaten, and later died. A circuit court judge gave the killer 10 days in jail!!!!!

Mark