Man tasered to death for not understanding English ??

Question

Any thoughts
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20071025.wtaser1026/BNStory/National/home

This has been caught on video by another passenger at the airport

Peter D.....I have seen the video, on Spanish TV , they went straight for him and tasered him...and then jumped on him (3 men) as he writhed on the floor in agony

This man had been waiting patiently 10 hours at the airport, when he finally lost his temper...I don,t blame him. Would you lose your temper after 10 hours?

Answer 1

The man was travelling from Poland to Kamloops, BC(I am from Kamloops as well) It happened at the Vancouver airport when he became agitated after recieving no help after being there for 10 hours. It turned into a confrontation with police and they tasered him and he died of heart failure I believe. He was coming to Kamloops to live with his Mother and start a new life here. He didn't speak English and was afraid and agitated being in a foreign country and not recieving any help from airport staff. It has been all over the news in Kamloops and they are trying to change the law to ban the use of taser guns because this isn't the first time they have killed someone! It is a very sad story and a public outrage!

Answer 2

He got angry about being kept waiting and picked up a chair. A bystander told him to put down the chair and he didn't understand what she was saying so he didn't put it down.

The police then arrived and tasered him with several thousand volts of electricity.

I think tasers should be banned or seriously reviewed. They should not be strong enough to kill a person.

This man was Polish and it was his first ever flight to visit his mother. This situation is tragic. It reminds me of the man who was shot on a train at point blank in the UK because police thought he was a terrorist. It turned out that he was a waiter or something.

On the news I heard that police had also recently tasered an elderly woman and an autistic girl. I have no idea why but they are using taser guns extremely irresponsibly as if they were water pistols. These police need to be disciplined for their actions.

Answer 3

At first I was stunned they would do such a thing, is it terrible, yes! Could he not speak English, very true! Did they try to get an interpreter, No! Was he acting innocently... the answer is no!! check out the link attached or do a youtube search for the video.
The gentleman in question was breathing heavily at the beginning as tho stressed or possibly suspicious then yielded a table and another object at authorities so was acting erratically.
Given the amount of incidents and terrorist activities at airports I honestly dont blame them, however I do strongly feel they should have handled it better.

Im sorry for his families loss, but, what more can you say!

Answer 4

So the cops said, "Are you able to speak English?" And then when he said no the cops tasered him repeatedly until he died? Is that how it happened?

You are giving an unfair account of what happened. Since you weren't there and you haven't seen the video you are unable to know exactly what happened and what the circumstances were surrounding this unfortunate event. It's possible the police were being brutal, but it's also possible this guy was a complete psycho.

It's a shame the mother's message didn't get to the guy. It's also a shame the guy didn't arrive better equipped for his journey into a foreign country.

Answer 5

afraid I didn't manage to read all of the link, but it sounds terrible. what could possibly have happened in 24 seconds?? At least it was caught on tape!

Answer 6

This sort of thing is becoming far too common these days. I didn't expect it to be in Canada, though.

Answer 7

Oops!

Answer 8

I'm a little taken back, but not surprised in the least.

Answer 9

why was he throwing things around?

Answer 10

why?