- Originally published in the The Arizona Republic on Mar. 4, 2005 [here]
By Robert Anglen
The Arizona Republic,
using computer searches, autopsy reports, police reports, media reports
and Taser's own records, has identified 101 cases in the United States
and Canada of death following a police Taser strike since September
1999. In 12 cases, medical examiners said Tasers were a cause, a
contributing factor or could not be ruled out in someone's death. In 19
cases, coroners and other officials reported the stun gun was not a
factor. Below is a synopsis of each case. The Republic requested
autopsy reports for all of the cases and so far has received 38.
1. David Flores, 37, Fairfield, Calif.
Sept. 28, 1999
A private investigator, Flores died after being shocked three times
during a scuffle with police. Flores suffered a heart attack.
Toxicology results indicate Flores died from agitated delirium due to
acute cocaine and methamphetamine intoxication.
2. Enrique Juarez Ochoa, 34, Bakersfield, Calif.
May 14, 2000
Police responded to a call from Ochoa's mother, who said her son was
acting strangely. Police shocked and handcuffed Ochoa and placed him
face down on the ground for 15-20 minutes. Officers transported him to
a medical center for evaluation. About 15 minutes later, officers
noticed that he had stopped moving. Autopsy report lists cause of death
as disseminated intravascular coagulation due to blunt impact trauma
while in a hyper-excitable state and cocaine toxicity.
3. Mark Burkett, 18, Gainesville, Fla.
June 17, 2001
Burkett, who suffered from paranoid schizophrenia, collapsed after
struggling with officers at a county jail. Burkett was shocked with a
Taser and became unresponsive. He died four days after being placed on
life support. Autopsy report lists cause of death as acute exhaustive
mania, meaning he worked himself into a frenzy that caused him to
suffer a cardiac arrest Toxicology exam revealed no traces of cocaine,
methamphetamine or steroids. Coroner notes that mania in psychiatric
patients can lead to death. Coroner reports family history of paranoid
schizophrenia.
4. Hannah Rogers-Grippi, 6-month-old fetus, Chula Vista, Calif.
Dec. 15, 2001
Police shocked a 36-year-old pregnant woman in the back for
refusing to follow orders. At the hospital, fetal heart sounds were
heard during the examination. Two days later, an exam revealed that the
fetus had died. Autopsy report lists cause of death as intrauterine
fetal demise. Maternal methamphetamine use was a contributing factor.
The coroner said It was difficult to make a causative link between the
Taser event and the intrauterine fetal death.
5. Marvin Hendrix, 27, Hamilton, Ohio
Dec. 17, 2001
Hendrix was fighting with paramedics at his house. A police officer
shocked him twice. Two minutes after being shocked, he lost
consciousness. An autopsy revealed Hendrix swallowed a bag of crack
cocaine about seven hours before he died. The cause of death was
cocaine toxicity. The medical examiner reported "the exact role of
Taser in this individual's demise is unknown."
6. Steven Vasquez, 40, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Dec. 21, 2001
Vasquez was shocked during an altercation with police who were
attempting to escort him out of a bar. A medical examiner said he died
four days later as a result of drug toxicity, due to a mixture of pain
medication. Coroner says Taser shocks were not a contributing factor in
the death.
7. Vincent Delostia, 31, Hollywood, Fla.
Jan. 27, 2002
Delostia was running around in traffic then ran into the lobby of a
hotel where he refused to leave. When police arrived, he lay down and
kicked at officers. He was shocked, rolled onto his stomach and
handcuffs were placed around his arms and legs. After 30 seconds of
restraint, he stopped breathing. The coroner said the cause of death
was cocaine toxicity and notes a history of bipolar disorder. Says
Delostia exhibited multiple signs of excited delirium.
8. Anthony Spencer, 35, Philadelphia
Feb. 12, 2002
Police, responding to a domestic disturbance, used pepper spray and
Tasers to subdue Spencer, who was brandishing a knife. He died in an
ambulance en route to the hospital. City officials said tests
reportedly found that the death was due to cocaine intoxication and
that shocks from a Taser were not a contributing factor.
9. Henry Canady, 46, Hilliard, Fla.
March 27, 2002
Canady was shocked after he fled deputies who were attempting to
arrest him on drug charges. The coroner said the cause of death was
cocaine toxicity and artery disease. The stress of his struggle with
police might have contributed to his death.
10. Richard Baralla, 36, Pueblo, Colo.
May 17, 2002
Police arrested Baralla after he was seen walking down a street
exhibiting strange behavior. Officers sprayed him with chemical spray,
shocked him with Taser and handcuffed his legs and arms behind his
back. During the struggle he stopped breathing. Autopsy report says
death was caused by cardiac arrest during a state of excited delirium
that necessitated restraint.
11. Eddie Alvarado, 32, Los Angeles
June 10, 2002
Alvarado died after being shot five times with a Taser by Los
Angeles police officers in 2002. He was fighting with officers after
having a seizure. The coroner said he died from a mixture of
methamphetamine and cocaine while being restrained. The coroner said
the stun gun could not be ruled out as a cause of death and indicated a
relationship between the Taser and Alvarado's heart attack.
12. Clever Craig, 46, Mobile, Ala.
June 28, 2002
Relatives called 911 because Craig was acting strangely. Police
found the 6-foot, 200-pound Craig holding a barbell. When he refused to
drop it, officers shocked him twice in about 40 seconds. According to
police, Craig struggled for five minutes. The autopsy report says Craig
died of a heart attack during an episode of delirium "following
electrical shock from Taser while resisting arrest."
13. Jason Nichols, 21, Oklahoma City, Okla.
June 15, 2002
Nichols was involved in a family fight. He struggled with police
officers who shocked him with a Taser. He was taken to a hospital with
various wounds from the fight and died 13 minutes later. The Cause of
death was listed as head injuries. The coroner said it was extremely
unlikely that the Taser played a part in the death. Drug tests were
negative for all but a slight trace of marijuana.
14. Fermin Rincon, 24, Fontana, Calif.
June 27, 2002
Died after a struggle with police at a business complex. Officers
reportedly shocked Rincon three times and placed him in a chokehold in
order to subdue him. A coroner reported that Rincon died because of
prolonged methamphetamine abuse. He suffered a cardiac arrest.
15. Unknown male, 39, Phoenix
June 2002
An unidentified man found bleeding in the driveway of a home near
80th Avenue and Osborn Road became combative with police officers
responding to a domestic violence call. Police shocked the man and put
him in handcuffs. He went into cardiac arrest and died at Maryvale
hospital. According to Taser International, the man had a cardiac
arrest due to a drug overdose.
16. Johnney Lozoya, age unknown, Gardena, Calif.
July 19, 2002
Lozoya was seen running on the roof of a convalescent home. A few
minutes later, police received reports that he was jumping on a parked
car. Officers found Lozoya unconscious in the street and he was taken
to a hospital, where he awoke and became combative. An officer shocked
him. Several minutes later he died. An autopsy report shows Lozoya died
of hypoxic encephalopathy, cardiac arrest and cocaine intoxication. But
the medical examiner reported, "one cannot exclude the Taser causing
the above damage to the tissues, specifically, the heart."
17. Gordon Jones, 37, Windermere, Fla.
July 19, 2002
Jones was drunk in a hotel lobby. When Orange County Sheriff's
deputies ordered him to leave, he dumped his clothes from a duffle bag.
He struggled with deputies who shocked him repeatedly until they were
able to place him in handcuffs. He walked with deputies to an ambulance
and died on the way to the hospital. A coroner reported that Jones died
from positional asphyxia, suffocating while being restrained. The
coroner said Taser strikes likely made it hard for Jones to breathe.
Nine months later, county officials requested a second opinion, which
concluded that Jones died primarily from cocaine-induced excited
delirium, not from being shot 11 times.
18. Frederick Webber, 44, Orange City, Fla.
Sept. 1, 2002
A husband and father of four, Webber was involved in a fight at a
campground. Police arrived and Webber refused to comply with their
orders. Police say he resisted arrest and they shocked him multiple
times. He was handcuffed with his hands behind his back when police
realized he had stopped breathing. The autopsy report says he died of
cardiac arrhythmia due to cocaine-induced agitated delirium while being
restrained.
19. Stephen Edwards, 59, Shelton, Wash.
Nov. 7, 2002
Edwards fought with a store security officer and police officers
attempting to arrest him on a shoplifting charge. A police officer
shocked the 300-pound man four times when he reached for a gun in the
waistband of his pants. After putting him in handcuffs, officers saw
that Edwards had stopped breathing. A coroner said he died of a heart
attack due to diabetes and obesity. The coroner said Taser was not a
factor.
20. Unknown male, 31, Albuquerque, New Mexico
March 16, 2003
Officers were called about a man jumping on parked cars and
breaking windows. He resisted arrest and fought with police, who used
chemical spray, a baton and a Taser to subdue him. The suspect died
after being arrested. According to Taser International, the man died of
drugs and ethanol intoxication. Taser reports that toxicology tests
showed amphetamines, cocaine and marijuana.
21. Terrance Hanna, 51, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
April 19, 2003
Hanna barged into a hotel holding a knife and hammer. A Burnaby
Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer shot him with a Taser. His heart
stopped. An autopsy report has not been released. The British Columbia
Coroners Service has scheduled an inquiry into Hanna's death for
December. Taser International says preliminary reports indicate Hanna
died of a cocaine overdose.
22. Joshua Hollander, 22, Normal Heights, Calif.
May 10, 2003
He stabbed his ex-girlfriend to death and then slashed his wrists.
Police found him in the bathroom. Despite his wounds, he struggled with
police who used a carotid restraint and shocked him with a Taser. He
was pronounced dead at the hospital. Autopsy report lists cause of
death as suicide. Coroner says he died as a result of a cardiac arrest
due to slashed wrists. The coroner says the carotid restraint and Taser
did not contribute to death and notes Hollander continued to talk 30
minutes after being shocked.
23. Timothy Sleet, 44, Springfield, Mo.
June 9, 2003
Police responded to a 911 call from a child saying her father was
killing her mother. Sleet had stabbed his wife to death after she
stabbed him with a kitchen knife. Police said he refused to obey
commands. They used Taser, beanbag gun, baton, chemical spray and then
piled on top of him in an attempt to subdue him. He lost consciousness
and died. A coroner said Sleet died from a cardiac arrest from stress
while officers tried to restrain him. The coroner said Sleet was in a
state of psychosis due to PCP intoxication.
24. Clay Willey, 33, Prince George, British Columbia
July 22, 2003
Willey died after an altercation at a mall. Police, who said Wiley
was exhibiting strange behavior, shot him with a Taser while trying to
get him into an ambulance. He died 16 hour later. A jury at a coroner's
inquest ruled that Willey died as the result of an accidental cocaine
overdose. The jury also recommended that Royal Canadian Mounted Police
give serious consideration to a report looking at Taser use that calls
for standardized training and reporting.
25. Troy Nowell, 51, Amarillo, Texas
Aug. 4, 2003
Police said Nowell assaulted two elderly women and a man outside of
a union hall. When police arrived, Nowell resisted arrest and was
shocked multiple times. City officials said an autopsy report cleared
the Taser as a cause of death. They said Nowell had a heart attack
during a violent struggle. They said it was due to arteriosclerotic and
hypertensive heart disease. A grand jury cleared officers.
26. John Thompson, 45, Carrollton Township, Mich.
Aug. 8, 2003
Became violent during a card game with friends. Police were called.
They shocked him multiple times with a Taser. He was taken to jail
where he struggled with officers. Later, while in an isolation cell,
Johnson seemed unresponsive. He was taken to a hospital and later died.
A coroner said Thompson's death was not a result of physical force but
said the cause of death was unknown.
27. Gordon Rauch, 39, Citrus Heights, Calif.
Aug. 17, 2003
Rauch's father called to report that his son was threatening to
kill him. Police officers said Rauch charged at them. Two officers shot
him with Tasers. He fell to the ground and went limp as officers put
him in cuffs. He died about an hour later. The autopsy report is
unavailable. Police said Rauch's prescribed psychotropic drugs might
have contributed to his death.
28. Ray Austin, 25, Gwinnett, Ga.
Sept. 24, 2003
Austin was incarcerated and awaiting trial on a parole violation
when he got into a scuffle with a deputy at the Gwinnet County Jail. He
bit off a portion of the deputy's ear and was shocked three times with
a Taser. He was restrained in a chair and given psychotropic drugs. He
lost consciousness and died. Austin had a history of mental illness. A
preliminary autopsy could not determine the cause of death. A coroner
reported that physical restraint might have impaired breathing.
29. Glenn Leyba, 37, Glendale, Colo.
Sept. 29, 2003
Police were called to Leyba's apartment by firefighters who said he
was out of control. When Leyba refused medical treatment, a police
officer shot him with a Taser. Police said he was on the ground and
kicking and thrashing at officers, who shocked Leyba repeatedly. He
stopped breathing. Autopsy report lists cause of death as a cardiac
arrest during cocaine-induced agitated delirium. Coroner said the Taser
is not a contributing factor.
30. Clark Whitehouse, 34, Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada
Sept. 2003
Royal Canadian Mounted police reported that Whitehorse fled on foot
while attempting to swallow drugs. Police officers used a Taser to
subdue him A short time later, he appeared to be having trouble
breathing. He was pronounced dead at the hospital. Yukon Coroner's
Service is not making the autopsy public. An inquest is pending.
31. Roman Pierson, 40, Brea, Calif.
Oct. 7, 2003
Pierson was shocked twice after running through traffic and
breaking into an ice machine at a supermarket. He had been complaining
that he was hot and thirsty. Four police officers ordered Pierson to
lie down and shocked him when he refused. Police said he took a
fighting stance. The autopsy report lists cause of death as cardiac
arrest due to acute methamphetamine intoxication. Notes coronary artery
disease.
32. Dennis Hammond, 31, Oklahoma City, Okla.
Oct. 11, 2003
Hammond was walking down the street screaming at the sky. When
police arrived, he was perched on a brick mailbox. When officers
approached, he would scream at them. Officer shot Hammond three times
with a beanbag shotgun and five times with a Taser. After being
handcuffed, he turned blue and stopped breathing. The autopsy report
lists cause of death as acute methamphetamine intoxication. The coroner
said the beanbags and Taser shocks were significant but did not have an
immediate role in Hammond's death.
33. Louis Morris, 50, Orlando, Fla.
Oct. 21, 2003
Morris drove erratically through the parking lot of a supermarket.
When approached by store security officers, he said a passenger in the
van needed medical attention but nobody else was in the van. He went
into the store and started yelling. When officers arrived, he fled to a
nearby convenience store where police shot him with a Taser. After he
was handcuffed, the man started banging his head on the ground.
Officers turned him over and saw he was in distress. The autopsy report
lists cause of death as cocaine excited delirium, a sudden collapse
from cardiac arrhythmia brought on by restraint. A pre-existing heart
disease contributed.
34. James Borden, 47, Monroe County, Ind.
Nov. 6, 2003
On the eve of his father's funeral, Borden was arrested on a minor
violation. Although officers were supposed to transport him to a
hospital, he was taken to jail instead. Upon arrival at the jail,
Borden did not follow commands of jailers. He was first shot with a
Taser for initially refusing to pull up his pants. A jailer shocked him
repeatedly until he collapsed and died. The autopsy report lists cause
of death as a heart attack due to an enlarged heart, pharmacologic
intoxication and electrical shocks from Taser. The jailer who shocked
Borden has been charged with two counts of felony battery, including
battery while armed with a deadly weapon.
35. Michael Johnson, 32, Oklahoma City, Okla.
Nov. 10, 2003
Officers responding to a burglary call found Johnson sitting in a
chair. When he did not respond, they shocked him with a Taser. Officers
said Johnson began struggling after being shocked. He was shocked
multiple times and two minutes later he stopped breathing and went into
cardiac arrest. He was placed on a ventilator and died 22 hours later.
Autopsy lists cause of death as acute congestive heart failure due to
cocaine-induced sudden cardiac arrest. The coroner said it appears to
be a case of agitated delirium. He said the drugs caused the heart
attack, not the restraint.
36. Kerry O'Brien, 31, Pembroke Pines, Fla.
Nov. 11, 2003
O'Brien was banging on cars in an intersection. Police shocked him with
a Taser. He was hogtied before dying. A coroner determined that O'Brien
died as a result of being hogtied, saying he was a victim of positional
asphyxia, meaning he suffocated while being restrained. The coroner
ruled the death as accidental. The coroner also concluded that Taser
did not contribute to O'Brien's death. The case is being investigated
by the Broward State Attorney's office.
37. Curtis Lawson, 40, Unadilla, Ga.
Dec. 9, 2003
Lawson confronted a woman at a gas station then fled to a hotel
room. When police asked him to come out he refused. Police entered the
hotel room and Lawson struggled with officers, who shocked him twice
with a Taser and sprayed him with pepper spray. He died about 15
minutes after being arrested. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation
concluded that Lawson died from acute cocaine toxicity. An enlarged
heart contributed to his death.
38. Lewis King, 39, St. Augustine, Fla.
Dec. 9, 2003
King fled deputies who stopped his car over a broken taillight and
began questioning him about a pill bottle. In attempting to get away,
police say he dragged a deputy with his car. Officers shocked him twice
with a Taser. He was subdued after a struggle and secured face down. He
went into full cardiac arrest and was pronounced dead at the hospital.
The autopsy report lists cause of death as cardiac arrest following
prone restraint by police. King had a history of heart disease and an
enlarged heart.
39. David Glowczenski, 35, Southampton Village, N.Y.
Feb. 4, 2004
Glowczenski, who had a history of mental illness and had been twice
institutionalized, was shouting and wandering two blocks from his home.
When officers approached, he began struggling. Officer sprayed
Glowczenski with chemical spray and shocked him multiple times with a
Taser. Glowczenski kicked and screamed even after he was placed on his
stomach with his hands cuffed behind his back. He suddenly stopped and
died. A preliminary autopsy was unable to determine the cause of death.
40. Raymond Siegler, 40, Minneapolis, Minn.
Feb. 12, 2004
Siegler was living in a group home for the mentally ill. While
celebrating his engagement, Siegler consumed some alcohol and created a
disturbance. Police were called because Siegler reportedly threatened
other residents. Siegler, who suffered from paranoia, panicked when he
saw police. Officers shocked him multiple times with a Taser. He
suffered a cardiac arrest. Siegler's family says he went into cardiac
arrest immediately after being shocked and remained in a coma until
they removed life support about a week after the incident. The autopsy
report has not been released.
41. Curt Rostengale, 44, Silverdale, Wash.
Feb. 21, 2004
Rostengale was shocked twice with a Taser during a struggle with police
at his apartment. Police say Rostengale was breaking glass and banging
on door of the complex. An officer ordered Rostengale to stop and
shocked him with a Taser when he refused. He continued struggling with
officers and was shocked again. A coroner reported that Rostengale died
as a result of cocaine abuse and said Taser was not a factor.
42. William Lomax, 26, Las Vegas, Nev.
Feb. 21, 2004
Lomax died after being shocked multiple times during a struggle with
police and private security at a public housing complex. A jury at a
coroner's inquest ruled that the Taser contributed his death. The Clark
County Coroner says the death raises questions about the way Tasers are
used. Lomax was high on PCP, a stimulant known for its ability to spark
aggression. The coroner said multiple Taser bursts prevented Lomax from
being able to breathe and ultimately contributed to a cardiac arrest.
Doctors could not say if Lomax would have died if the Taser had not
been used.
43. Perry Ronald, 28, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
March 23, 2004
Ronald suffered a head injury during a fight at a friend's house.
Afterward, police were called about a man jumping on cars and blocking
traffic. It took several officers, who shocked Ronald with a Taser, to
place him in custody. He was transported to a hospital to have his head
injury examined and suffered a heart attack. He died a week later. A
preliminary autopsy could not determine the cause of death. The autopsy
report is unavailable.
44. Terry Williams, 45, Madison, Ill.
March 28, 2004
Police, responding to a domestic violence call, shocked Williams
when he refused to follow commands and resisted arrest. He was placed
in a police car and transported to the police station where he was
found to be unresponsive. A preliminary autopsy did not reveal the
cause of death.
45. Melvin Samuel, 28, Savannah, Ga.
April 16, 2004
Samuel called police to report a burglary. He was subsequently
arrested on a warrant for failing to pay a traffic ticket and taken to
a Houston County jail. Jail officials said he was uncooperative and
were forced to shock Samuel twice with Taser while moving him out of a
holding cell. About 10 minutes later, Samuel became unresponsive. An
autopsy found that Samuel asphyxiated after being hog-tied on his
stomach. A Georgia Bureau of Investigation autopsy report said the
Taser was not a factor in the death.
46. Alfredo Diaz, 29, Orange County, Fla.
April 18, 2004
Sheriff's Deputies were responding to a 911 call about a man
running naked in the street. Diaz's brother also called 911 and
reported that someone had slipped acid into his drink and that he was
going crazy. Deputies approached Alfredo Diaz and tried to calm and
restrain him. Diaz reportedly struggled with deputies and threatened to
kill them. Deputies sprayed him with pepper spray and then shocked him
with a Taser. After he was handcuffed, Diaz started having problems
breathing. He was taken to a hospital where he died.
47. Eric Wolle, 45, Washington Grove, Md.
April 27, 2004
Diagnosed as a bipolar schizophrenic, Wolle panicked when he saw a
car stop outside his house. Believing that nameless agents were coming
to get him, he fled his house and his mother called police. Officers
stopped Wolle, who was carrying a machete in the waistband of his pants
and ordered him to the ground. Wolle refused and officers shocked him
twice with a Taser. He continued to struggle then lost consciousness. A
preliminary autopsy found Wolle died of cardiac arrhythmia during a
state of psychosis. Police said Taser shocks did not contribute to his
death.
48. Roman Andreichik, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
May 1, 2004
Shocked during a struggle with police at an apartment. He died
shortly after being shocked. His death is under investigation. The
autopsy report has not been released.
49. Peter Lamonday, 38, London, Ontario, Canada
May 13, 2004
Police received complaints that Lamonday, a landscape worker, was
breaking windows and doors of businesses. When police confronted him,
Lamonday reportedly swung at officers, who sprayed him with chemical
spray and punched him. Seven officers forced Lamonday to the ground and
he was shocked several times with a Taser. He stopped breathing about
20 minutes after being placed in handcuffs. A probe by a police
watchdog group concluded that Lamonday died of cocaine-induced delirium
and said the Taser was not to blame.
50. Henry Lattarulo, 40, Hillsborough County, Fla.
May 22, 2004
Sheriff's deputies were called to a trailer park on a report that a
man was trying to stab people with a screwdriver. They reportedly found
Lattarulo fighting with a friend. He refused to follow commands and
officers shocked him with a Taser. He reportedly pulled the barbs out
and kept fighting. Deputies restrained him, placed him in handcuffs and
leg restraints and Lattarulo stopped breathing. The Hillsborough County
Medical Examiner's Office determined that the death was caused by
cocaine-induced excited delirium.
51. Frederick Williams, 31, Lawrenceville, Ga.
May 27, 2004
Williams died after being shocked with a Taser at the Gwinnett County
Jail. The computer technician, who had epilepsy, was acting strangely
when police officers responded to a domestic violence call at his
house. He was shocked during a struggle with jail officers and died a
shot time later. A coroner said he died of brain damage from a heart
attack, but the cause of the heart attack could not be determined. The
coroner said there is no evidence that five shocks from a Taser caused
or contributed to Williams' death.
52. Darryl Smith, 46, Atlanta
May 30, 2004
Smith was found unresponsive in the street and became violent with
paramedics who responded to help him. A sheriff's deputy used a Taser
to subdue him, shocking Smith multiple times. Smith died about six
hours later. A coroner says his death was caused by agitated delirium
associated with acute cocaine poisoning.
53. Anthony Oliver, 42, Orlando, Fla.
May 31, 2004
Oliver stopped a police officer by banging on the back window of
her patrol car. He told her people were pursuing him and going to shoot
him. When officers attempted to talk to Oliver and move him out of
traffic, he began struggling. Police reported that he attempted to pull
the officer into traffic. An officer shocked him with a Taser. Oliver
fell to the ground but got back up, and the officer shocked him seven
more times. Oliver began foaming at the mouth and was taken to a
hospital where he died. His death was attributed to a cocaine-induced
excited delirium.
54. Jerry Pickens, 55, Bridge City, La.
June 4, 2004
Police shocked Pickens while responding to a domestic violence call
at his house. Pickens refused to comply with orders not to go back into
his house. After being shocked, Pickens fell backwards and hit his head
on his driveway. He went into a coma and died about a week later. A
coroner said he died as a result of a brain hemorrhage because of the
fall.
55. James Cobb, 42, St. Paul, Minn.
June 9, 2004
Two days after being released from prison on a robbery conviction,
Cobb was walking in the middle of a rain-swept street shouting at
motorists. Police ordered him out of the street and Cobb became
combative. Officers sprayed him with chemical spray, shocked him
multiple times with a Taser and hit him with a baton. He collapsed on
the street and died. A preliminary autopsy report said he did not die
as a result of blunt force trauma.
56. Jacob Lair, 26, Sparks, Nev.
June 9, 2004
Officers were attempting to question Lair at his home when the
convicted robber and burglar became combative. Police sprayed Lair with
chemical spray and shocked him with a Taser. He collapsed and died. The
autopsy report shows he died of acute methamphetamine intoxication. A
coroner says he suffered cardiac arrhythmia during a struggle with
police involving Taser, pepper spray and restraints.
57. Robert Bagnell, 44, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
June 23, 2004
Police responding to a disturbance at a rooming house found Bagnell
frenzied and destroying a washroom. Police shot him with a Taser and he
stopped breathing and died at the scene. Police did not disclose the
details surrounding Bagnell's death for more than a month while waiting
for toxicology reports. A preliminary autopsy could not determine the
cause of death. A coroner said Bagnell might have had a lethal level of
cocaine in his system.
58. Kris Lieberman, 32, Bushkill Twp., Penn.
June 24, 2004
Lieberman was found naked in a cornfield, crawling around and
talking to himself. Officers said Lieberman lunged at them when they
attempted to talk to him. They shocked him with a stun gun three times
until he lost consciousness. Officers tried to revive him but he was
pronounced dead a short time later. The autopsy report is unavailable.
59. Bernard Christmas, 36, Dayton, Ohio
June 2004
Police responded to reports that Christmas was running in circles
in the middle of the street. When police arrived, the man reportedly
jumped in the front seat of a patrol car. When police tried to remove
the man from the car, he struggled and an officer shot him in the chest
with a Taser. He stopped breathing and was transported to a hospital
where he died. A coroner said the cause of death was a cardiac arrest
due to cocaine-induced excited delirium.
60. Demetrius Tillman Nelson, 45, Okaloosa County, Fla.
July 3, 2004
Nelson got into an argument with his girlfriend after their car
overheated in a parking lot. When police arrived, Nelson was
argumentative and combative; a struggle ensued and officers shocked him
multiple times with a Taser. He reportedly talked to officers but
developed trouble breathing. He was taken to a hospital where he died.
Police officials said the death was caused by cocaine-associated
excited delirium.
61. Willie Smith, 48, Auburn, Wash.
July 11, 2004
Smith's wife called 911 and said her husband had assaulted her.
Police arrived at Smith's apartment and ordered him to the floor. They
said Smith refused and came at them. Two officers shocked him with
Tasers. They arrested him and put him in a patrol car where he went
into cardiac arrest. Smith's reportedly told police that her husband
was on a cocaine binge. The autopsy report is unavailable.
62. Jerry Knight, 29, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
July 17, 2004
Knight, a former semi-professional boxer, reportedly tore up a
hotel room in a fit of rage. Police arrived and shocked Knight with a
Taser when he refused to comply with their orders. He was pronounced
dead upon arrival at the hospital. According to police, Knight died of
asphyxia while being restrained by police. Police reported that Knight
was on cocaine and suffering from excited delirium. Police also
reported that a forensic pathologist concluded that the Taser was not a
factor in the death. An inquest has been scheduled to look into his
death.
63. Milton Salazar, 29, Mesa
July 23, 2004
Hours after Salazar was released from the state prison on July 21,
police said he reportedly threw rocks at motorists on Dobson Road then
entered a convenience store and threw candy bars at the clerk. When an
officer tried to arrest him, Salazar lay on the floor with his hands
underneath his body and refused to obey commands. Officers shocked
Salazar multiple times and when they rolled him over, he immediately
turned white. Salazar was taken to Banner Desert Medical Center, where
he died two days later. Police say chemical tests showed he had cocaine
in his system. The medical examiner found that Salazar died of
complications from excited delirium due to cocaine intoxication. The
autopsy report said the shocks from Taser and the stress of his
struggle with police contributed to Salazar's death.
64. Keith Tucker, 47, Las Vegas
Aug 2, 2004
Tucker's roommate called police saying Tucker was punching walls
and talking to people not in the room. Police arrived and found Tucker
sitting on his bed. They reported that Tucker punched and kicked
officers as they approached. Officers shocked him with Tasers and
placed him in handcuffs. Police reported that Tucker started having
trouble breathing. He died at the hospital. The cause of death has not
been determined. The autopsy report is unavailable.
65. Samuel Truscott, 43, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
Aug. 8, 2004
Truscott reportedly overdosed on drugs and barricaded himself in a
bedroom where he was armed with a knife and a bat. Police attempted to
use chemical spray and when it didn't have any affect, they shocked
Truscott with a Taser. Police said Truscott walked unaided to a police
car and was taken to hospital where he suffered a suffered a seizure
and died. Ontario's coroner said death was due to a drug overdose. He
said the Taser was not to blame in any way. The autopsy report is
unavailable.
66. Ernest Blackwell, 29, St. Louis, Mo.
Aug. 11, 2004
Blackwell, a former University of Missouri football star, went on a
rampage, shooting his stepdaughter with a shotgun and beating a teenage
neighbor girl and her mother. Officers said the 230-pound,
six-foot-three Blackwell attempted to grab an officer's gun during a
struggle in which he was shocked twice with a Taser. Paramedics sedated
him and Blackwell died on the way to the hospital. The autopsy report
is unavailable.
67. David Riley, 41, Joplin, Mo.
Aug. 11, 2004
Riley threatened to commit suicide and barricaded himself in a
house. He had pulled a gas line from the back of the stove and turned
on the valve, filling the house with gas. Riley was outside, but when
two police officers arrived he started to run back inside. One of the
officers deployed a Taser. The house subsequently exploded, killing
Riley and wounding the two officers. Police are investigating what
sparked the explosion. A Taser was recovered from the wreckage of the
house.
68. Anthony Lee McDonald, 46, Harrisburg, N.C.
Aug. 13, 2004
McDonald's mother called 911 to report her son was damaging his
home. When police arrived, McDonald was breaking out the windows. Two
officers entered and McDonald became aggressive. The officers shot him
twice with a beanbag round and then wrestled with him. They shocked him
with a Taser and he immediately had difficulty breathing. He died
shortly after arriving at the hospital. The autopsy report is
unavailable.
69. William Teasley, 31, Anderson, S.C.
Aug 16, 2004
Teasley was arrested for disorderly conduct. Deputies say he became
violent while they tried to book him into jail. During a struggle,
deputies shocked Teasley with a Taser. He stopped breathing. The
coroner said Taser contributed directly to Teasley's death, saying it
was the proverbial last straw. The coroner said his heart, spleen and
liver were enlarged, he had hardened arteries and an obstructed airway.
"The added stress of Taser shock with its electrical current was
proximal to the cardiac arrhythmia and must be considered
contributory," the autopsy report states. The coroner says officials
with Taser International asked his office to reverse its ruling and
leave the Taser out of the autopsy report.
70. Richard Karlo, 44, Denver, Colo.
Aug. 19, 2004
Karlo was frothing at the mouth and breaking into cars when police
stopped him. He reportedly attacked two officers who shocked him four
times with a Taser. Karlo started having trouble breathing and then
died. Karlo's family reported that he had a heart condition and was
taking cocaine when he encountered police. A coroner said Karlo died of
a cocaine and antidepressant overdose. The coroner said Karlo was in a
state of agitated delirium when he died. The coroner said Taser was not
a factor in the death. The autopsy report lists cause of death as acute
cocaine and nortriptyline toxicity.
71. Michael Sanders, 40, Fresno, Calif.
Aug. 20, 2004
Police said Sanders was struggling with his wife when they shocked
him several times with a Taser. They said the musician was delusional
and stabbed an officer several times with an unknown object. He was
handcuffed, put on a gurney and transported to the hospital. He died in
the ambulance. The coroner's office said an autopsy revealed that
Sanders died of complications related to cocaine intoxication. The
autopsy report lists cause of death from complications of cocaine
intoxication.
72. Lawrence Davis, 27, Phoenix
Aug. 24, 2004
Police say Davis jumped on the windshield of a patrol car and began
yelling incoherently. Officers followed the man as he walked away from
the car and rounded a corner. When he spotted police, the man again ran
toward the vehicle and jumped on the bumper before officers attempted
to detain him. Davis pushed the officers and an officer shocked him
with a stun gun. Officers brought Davis to the ground and shocked him
twice more. Police said the stun-gun shots had no effect, so a sergeant
used a chokehold to temporarily knock the man unconscious. Paramedics
were called. Davis died at the hospital. The medical examiner said
Davis died as a result of excited delirium.
73. Jason Yeagley, 32, Winter Haven, Fla.
Aug. 27, 2004
Yeagley was wandering in the road and acting strangely. Police say
when an officer tried to escort him out of the road, Yeagley attacked.
The officer shocked Yeagley with a Taser. He continued struggling and
was shocked again. Police said he was still fighting with the officer.
After putting him in handcuffs, officers noticed Yeagley was in
distress. He was pronounced dead at the hospital. A preliminary autopsy
could not determine the cause of death.
74. Michael Rosa, 38, Del Rey Oaks, Calif.
Aug. 29, 2004
Rosa was wandering through yards and screaming. When police
approached, he picked up a 2x4 piece of wood and swung it at officers.
Police shocked him with a Taser. After being handcuffed. Rosa started
having difficulty breathing. He was pronounced dead at the hospital.
Rosa had a 2003 arrest for cocaine possession. The coroner said Rosa
died of a heart attack from methamphetamine intoxication. But he listed
Taser as a contributing factor in the death. The coroner says the Taser
shock and the struggle with police combined with the drugs led to
Rosa's death.
75. Samuel Wakefield, 22, Rio Vista, Texas
Sept. 12, 2004
Wakefield was reportedly a passenger in a car stopped by police for
suspicion of drunken driving. He tried to run and fell. An officer
shocked him twice with a Taser. Wakefield appeared to have a cardiac
arrest. Paramedics were called and he was pronounced dead at a local
hospital. Witnesses told police Wakefield had ingested a large amount
of cocaine about an hour before the traffic stop.
76. Andrew Washington, 21, Vallejo, Calif.
Sept. 15, 2004
Police say Washington stole a car and was involved in a hit-and-run
accident. An officer shot him with a Taser as he tried to climb a fence
to run away. After being arrested, police say Washington showed signs
of physical distress and was having difficulty breathing. Emergency
crews were called to the scene. He was taken to a hospital where he
died.
77. Jon Merkle, 40, Miami
Sept. 20, 2004
Merkle, an attorney with a history of cocaine use and drug arrests,
was reportedly running through backyards and acting erratically. Police
say they found him inside an abandoned house, where he was beating the
walls and windows with a large stick. Officers were able to get him to
drop the stick, but when they say Merkle started swinging when they
attempted to arrest him. They shocked him with a Taser. Officers
reported that he was feverish and excited and repeatedly attempted to
lie down. Once on his stomach, he stopped breathing. Police say he had
significant levels of cocaine in his system at the time of his death.
An autopsy report lists cause of death as excited delirium associated
with cocaine intoxication.
78. Dwayne Dunn, 33, Lafayette, La.
Oct. 4, 2004
Dunn was arrested outside of a Piggly Wiggly store for public
intoxication. An officer tried to talk Dunn into leaving the property
and when he refused, the officer shocked him with a Taser. Dunn was
taken to jail and booked on charges of resisting arrest, disturbing the
peace and for misrepresentation. Jail officials later put Dunn on a
medical watch. An ambulance was called when his condition deteriorated.
He died at the hospital.
79. Greshmond Gray, 25, LaGrange, Ga.
Nov. 2, 2004
Gray reportedly refused to leave an apartment and police were called.
Officers shocked him when he would not follow orders to put his hands
behind his back. Officers reported that he bent down to pick up a
hibachi loaded with hot coals. He was shocked at least two more times
for attempting to run away. After the shocks, Gray became unresponsive.
Police reported that Gray had previous arrests for cocaine possession.
A coroner reported that Gray had an abnormal heart. The coroner said
the emotional and physical stress Gray underwent during the struggle
with police, including being shocked with a Taser, led to the lethal
heart rhythm.
80. Robert Guerrero, 21, Fort Worth, Texas
Nov. 2, 2004
A father of two, Guerrero fled from police after an apartment
manager reported that he was trying steal electricity for a friend's
apartment. Guerrero reportedly tried to hide in a closet. When he
wouldn't come out officers shocked him at least twice. Witnesses said
they noticed he wasn't breathing as officers carried him out of the
apartment. He was pronounced dead at a local hospital.
81. Ricardo Zaragoza, 40, Elk Grove, Calif.
Nov. 8, 2004
Zaragoza, a paranoid schizophrenic, was shocked during a struggle
with sheriff's deputies who were attempting to take him to the hospital
for a mental health exam. Zaragoza's parents called police for help
after their son exhibited strange behavior. Although Zaragoza
reportedly had been taking his medication, he hadn't eaten for several
days. Officers entered his bedroom, shocked him at least twice with a
Taser, sprayed him with pepper spray and pinned him to the ground. He
stopped breathing.
82. Byron Black, 39, Lee County, Fla.
Nov. 27, 2004
Black died in a struggle with guards trying to remove him from a
Lee County jail cell. Black, an insurance salesman, had been arrested
four days earlier for allegedly setting his own van on fire. The
sheriff's office reported that deputies believed Black was having a
seizure and tried to take him out of the cell for medical attention.
Black began to fight and kick. He was sprayed him with pepper spray and
shocked with a Taser.
83. Charles Keiser, 47, Hartland Township, Mich.
Nov. 25, 2004
Keiser took a bulldozer from a road construction site and moved it
onto a highway. When state police officers arrived, he was reportedly
trying to start a backhoe and move it onto the highway. Keiser fled and
police chased him into some woods. During a scuffle with the officers,
Keiser reportedly grabbed one by the throat. Four sheriff's deputies
arrived. Keiser was shocked three times with a Taser and stopped
breathing at the scene.
84. Patrick Fleming, 35, Metairie, La.
Dec. 4, 2004
Sheriff's deputies stopped Fleming around 1 a.m. for driving
erratically. When he refused to get out of his vehicle, deputies
dragged him out. Officers said Fleming became combative. Fleming, who
had prior drug charges and was wanted on a warrant of criminal neglect
of family, was shocked once with a Taser before being taken into
custody. While being booked, officers say Fleming again became
combative. He was shocked a second time. His started having trouble
breathing and died the next day.
85. Kevin Downing, 36, Hollywood, Fla.
Dec. 15, 2004
A fire-rescue crew found Downing's van blocking traffic on a
Hollywood Street. When they tried to help Downing, he became agitated
and acted strangely. Police reported that when officers arrived he
became violent. An officer shot Downing with her Taser, but police said
he continued to fight. He was shocked again and police officers tackled
him to the ground. Downing died about two hours later at a hospital.
86. Douglas Meldrum, 37, Wasatch County, Utah
Dec. 17, 2004.
Meldrum was shocked twice by police after he lead them on a chase
and then resisted arrest. Police said Meldrum punched one officer as
they attempted to remove him from his truck. He was shocked twice.
Police say that he immediately stopped breathing and was taken to a
hospital where he was pronounced dead.
87. Lyle Nelson, 35, Columbia, Ill.
Dec. 17, 2004
Police responded to an emergency call at Nelson's home. Police did
not immediately report what the call was about, but said Nelson
struggled with officers at the scene. He was shocked with a Taser,
placed in custody and taken to the county jail. He collapsed about 90
minutes later and was taken to a hospital where he died. He was married
with three children.
88. Timothy Bolander, 31, Delray Beach, Fla.
Dec. 23, 2004
Bolander's wife called police when he showed up at her house in
violation of a restraining order. When officers arrived, they say he
was banging his head against a fence. He struggled with officers and
they shocked him twice with a Taser. He collapsed and was pronounced
dead at a hospital.
89. Ronnie Pino, 31, Sacramento, Calif.
Dec. 23, 2004
Pino was found dead in the medical ward of the county jail. The day
before, Pino had been shocked twice with a Taser during a struggle with
police after he shattered the glass door of a mental hospital.
90. Christopher Hernandez, 19, Naples, Fla.
Dec. 28, 2004
Hernandez was a passenger in a car that sheriff's deputies
attempted to pull over around 1 a.m. According to the police, the car
kept driving and finally stopped in the parking lot of a convenience
store. When deputies ordered the driver out of the car, Hernandez
reportedly got out and attacked a deputy. Hernandez was sprayed with a
chemical and shocked with a Taser. He continued struggling before
deputies were able to place him in handcuffs. He was taken to a
hospital and died an hour later. The 16-year-old driver of the car was
arrested on an outstanding warrant. Another passenger in the car was
arrested after police found a handgun under his seat.
91. Jeanne Hamilton, 46, Palmdale, Calif.
Dec. 29, 2004
California Highway Patrol attempted to stop Hamilton's car around
2:30 a.m. Officers reported that the she was driving about 90 mph then
slowed and accelerated before stopping. Officers said Hamilton refused
to get out of the car so the sprayed her with chemical spray and pulled
her out of the car. Officers said she lay on her stomach on top of her
hands and refused to show officers her hands. She was shocked and then
placed in handcuffs. Officers said she continued to struggle while
being booked into jail and stopped breathing after they put her in a
cell. She was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead.
92. David Cooper, 40, Marion County, Ind.
Dec. 30, 2004
Cooper was incarcerated for allegedly strangling a Baptist minister
that he believed to be the devil. During his Dec. 19 arrest, police
shocked Cooper repeatedly with Tasers. Two days later, he was shocked
in jail for injuring himself in a padded cell. On Dec. 24 he was
transferred from the jail to a hospital's psychiatric ward, where he
stopped breathing and was placed on a respirator. He was pronounced
dead on Dec. 30. Relatives said he had a heart condition.
93. Gregory Saulsbury, 30, Pacifica, Calif.
Jan. 2, 2005
Saulsbury's family called 911 for help. Saulsbury, who was mentally
ill, was agitated and his parents were trying to calm him down. Instead
of paramedics, police arrived. Officers said Saulsbury was
confrontational and refused to obey commands. Saulsbury's relatives
reportedly told police that they had succeeded in calming him down. But
officers attempted to place Saulsbury in handcuffs. He struggled and
they shocked him with Tasers. During the struggle, police reportedly
shocked Saulsbury's unarmed father. Gregory Saulsbury immediately
stopped breathing and died.
94. Dennis Hyde, 30, Akron
Jan. 5, 2005
Hyde broke into a home and when police responded, he reportedly
told them he was the devil and threatened to kill the homeowners and
the officers. During a struggle officers shocked him with a Taser and
he died. A medical examiner said Taser contributed to the death but
also cited other factors, including methamphetamines and blood loss.
95. Carl Trotter, 33, Pensacola, Fla.
Jan. 8, 2005
Trotter broke into several homes and attacked residents in a quiet
neighborhood. Chased out of one residence, he reportedly picked up an
elderly woman walking on the sidewalk and literally carried her,
kicking and screaming, to a church parking lot. When a neighbor forced
Trotter to let her go, he crashed through the glass door of another
house and attacked a woman there. Sheriff's deputies and residents
struggled with Trotter. More deputies arrived and one of them shocked
Trotter multiple times with a Taser. According to police, Trotter
continued to fight, then collapsed and died in the front yard.
96. Unknown man, Chickasha, Okla.
Jan. 28, 2005
A suspect was shocked with a Taser after fleeing from a drug raid
led by the FBI. A Chickasha Police officer reported that the man
swallowed cocaine and then began running. The officer said he shocked
him to stop him from escaping. Officers said the unnamed suspect became
unresponsive and he was taken to the hospital where he died.
97. Jeffrey Turner, 41, Lucas County, Ohio
Jan. 31, 2005
Turner was loitering outside of a Toledo museum when Toledo Police
officers approached him and asked for identification. Officers said
Turner resisted when they attempted to search him. During a struggle he
was shocked repeatedly with a Taser. Once placed in custody, he was
taken to the Lucas County Corrections Center. At the center, sheriff's
deputies said he became combative. They went into his cell and used a
Taser multiple times to subdue him. Turner died. Taser use has been
suspended inside the jail pending an investigation.
98. Ronald Alan Hasse, 54, Chicago
Feb. 10, 2005
Hasse was shocked by police during a confrontation at a Chicago
apartment. He had been visiting friends, who asked him to leave when he
started acting strange and lost control of himself. Chicago police
reported that he tried to kick and bite an officer and threatened to
infect officers with HIV. After warning Hasse to calm down, a police
sergeant shocked him with a Taser. Hasse was a former Chicago
securities trader who was supposed to go on trial in June for burying a
body on an Indiana farm.
99. Robert Camba, 45, San Diego, Calif.
Feb. 12, 2005
Police were called to investigate a possible fight an apartment
where they reported finding Camba thrashing on the floor. Officers said
Camba threw things at them and kicked at them. An officer shocked him
with a Taser. And police placed him in handcuffs. Camba became
unresponsive and paramedics were called. He died two days later.
100. Joel Dawn Casey, 52, Houston
Feb. 18, 2005
Casey, a psychiatric patient, was shocked by police during a
confrontation at his mother's house. Deputies from the Harris County
Sheriff's Office mental health unit reported that they had received
information that he did not have any health problems. It turned out
that Casey had a heart condition. Deputies said he resisted when they
attempted to restrain him and that he continued to struggle after being
shocked. After they placed him in handcuffs, officers noticed Casey was
not breathing. A preliminary report found some evidence to suggest that
Casey might have strangled when a bone near his windpipe broke.
101. Robert Harris, 40, Salinas, Calif.
Feb. 20, 2005
Heston died two days after suffering a cardiac arrest following a
police Taser strike. Heston was shocked as many as 10 times after
officers were called to his residence where he was fighting with his
father. Police said Heston was throwing objects and assaulting his
66-year-old father. When officers tried to stop him, Heston allegedly
attacked them. They shocked him several times with the Taser and he
continued to fight. Officers said they noticed his heart stopped
breathing and they used CPR to revive him. He was taken to a hospital
where he died. In interviews following the death, the police chief
defended Tasers using language directly out of the stun gun company's
promotional material.
