Appropriate Response To Being Threatened With A Taser

[Chillock]

My question was more in some other situation if you were threatened by a Taser (and again I specify "Taser" because that's what the report said) would you consider it to be a deadly threat?

I also want to point out that in the example above the guard initiated the encounter and I'm sure he did so at some distance where if the guy with the taser initiated the encounter I would think he'd try to get closer to you.

Smoke, I see in your sig. that you are a former EMT. I don't know what you have seen or not seen, but I have seen the results of tasers.

A taser drawn, is a lethal or deadly threat. I have seen the worst results 2 times. Does death occur every time? No. I have seen a guy paralyzed for life because of the area he was hit/damaged nerves.

Our local Sheriff's department issues tazers. If a Deputy is to carry a tazer, not required, they have to be tazered to be able to carry. Before being tazered, the Deputies HAVE to have a physical, if approved by the doctor, the training commences. Not sure I would want to be tazered.

I would draw my weapon and demand the man drop the tazer. I would not give him but a second and I would fire. And no I do not believe in warning shots. My understanding, tazers legal in Washington, have a colored light (I've seen green and yellow) that comes on before the tazer actually releases the darts. If I saw those lights, my finger would be pulling the trigger.

 

[rvn6768]

You arm chair quarterbacks are great at giving advice. I wonder how many of you have ever been in a possible deadly force situation. the guy did a great job, everyone went home safe.

 

[WC145]

I absolutely do regard a threat with a Taser a threat of deadly force and do not take such threats lightly. I have been "tased" and can articulate that, while riding the lightning, and for several seconds immediately after, I was incapacitated and completely vulnerable to attack. Based on my training and experience, I would react to a threat with a Taser the same as I would a threat with a gun or knife - gun drawn, prepared to shoot if he doesn't comply with my commands.

 

[mc5aw]

Employment policy semantics aside, any time a potentially violent situation can be defused without out harm to those involved seems to be prudent. That said, my concern would be with the next confrontation the taser-carrying vagrant is involved in ... perhaps the first responder will not be as lucky, or perhaps an innocent civilian will be victimized.

 

[forrestinmathews]

After reading this thread I am amazed at how many people were so quick to armchair that they failed to read the original post. It's truly laughable.

Here's my contribution:
Smoke should have never fired his mini gun at the fairy godmother that was trying to take unauthorized pictures of and wave her wand menacingly at his badgers. It was against country club rules and he'll likely be barred for it. Instead he should have called the FBI and let them take care of it whilst consuming a Dr. Pepper inside his Superman phone booth. They all lived happily ever after.

 

[shouldazagged]

After reading this thread I am amazed at how many people were so quick to armchair that they failed to read the original post. It's truly laughable.

Here's my contribution:
Smoke should have never fired his mini gun at the fairy godmother that was trying to take unauthorized pictures of and wave her wand menacingly at his badgers. It was against country club rules and he'll likely be barred for it. Instead he should have called the FBI and let them take care of it whilst consuming a Dr. Pepper inside his Superman phone booth. They all lived happily ever after.

OF COURSE! I see it all so clearly now! I've been such a fool!

 

[Kanewpadle]

You arm chair quarterbacks are great at giving advice. I wonder how many of you have ever been in a possible deadly force situation. the guy did a great job, everyone went home safe.

Nice of you to add something useful to this discussion.

 

[rvn6768]

About as useful as you have.

 

[Smoke]

After reading this thread I am amazed at how many people were so quick to armchair that they failed to read the original post. It's truly laughable.

Here's my contribution:
Smoke should have never fired his mini gun at the fairy godmother that was trying to take unauthorized pictures of and wave her wand menacingly at his badgers. It was against country club rules and he'll likely be barred for it. Instead he should have called the FBI and let them take care of it whilst consuming a Mountain Dew inside his Superman phone booth. They all lived happily ever after.

There fixed it for you

 

[Smoke]

Nice of you to add something useful to this discussion.

8 posts in 2 years, all pretty much in the same vein. Not the hill I want to die on

 

[poordevil]

Was this Taser, the kind that has wires and fires darts, or a stun gun that must be placed on ones body to have any effect? A stun gun can be had for about 15 bucks, but a Taser is , what? several hundred? If it was a Taser and a vagrant had it, it was most probably stolen. Yes, it is best to have every body remain un harmed, but this just smells fishy to me.

 

[Smoke]

Was this Taser, the kind that has wires and fires darts, or a stun gun that must be placed on ones body to have any effect?

As stated earlier, I wasn't there the report specified a Taser

A stun gun can be had for about 15 bucks, but a Taser is , what? several hundred? If it was a Taser and a vagrant had it, it was most probably stolen. Yes, it is best to have every body remain un harmed, but this just smells fishy to me.

What smells fishy?

 

[David Sinko]

As a uniformed municipal police officer, I have been instructed that the snatching of my taser justifies the use of lethal force. When the probes hit, there is a minimum five second ride. If the trigger is held back, the ride continues until the trigger is released or the battery dies. What this means is that anybody who is tased is completely incapacitated. Anybody who is completely incapacitated and armed will likely have his sidearm snatched too. When the sidearm is snatched, you can expect that it will not be used for show and tell. I guess we can argue all day long about how what pertains to the police may or may not pertain to private security personnel or the rest of the citizenry. I am simply relaying what has been taught to me and whether or not it pertains to you will depend on how articulate or persuasive your attorney happens to be.

Dave Sinko

 

[Don 73]

I absolutely do regard a threat with a Taser a threat of deadly force and do not take such threats lightly. I have been "tased" and can articulate that, while riding the lightning, and for several seconds immediately after, I was incapacitated and completely vulnerable to attack. Based on my training and experience, I would react to a threat with a Taser the same as I would a threat with a gun or knife - gun drawn, prepared to shoot if he doesn't comply with my commands.

From the LEO point of view, I agree completely. AND seeing as how may Tasers are black and resemble a firearm, I'm NOT going to take the time to guess: "Firearm or Taser?"

 

[bluegrassarms]

First Picture is where I work second is the biggest threat I've run into in 4 years out there

My goodness man they may have nibbled your shoe laces off and you lost balance and broken your neck.

Man, those are cute.


My response to a stun gun (not a taser) if I'm armed and there's good distance and my hand's already on my weapon? Probably a smirk and girlish giggle if I had to be honest. lol.


He definitely did the right thing to be ready to use his weapon if that's what you're asking. Whether stun gun or taser they are all weapons and he could have been disabled and killed. I won't get into calling the cops or not, I'll treat that as a constraint on the question, but he definitely needed to get control of the situation in some way.

I probably would have done the same thing (not the movie phrase, but putting hand on weapon and ordering him to lose the gun and get off the property), even though it has its flaws. Pulling the gun is a whole other level of engagement beyond being prepared to do it. IMO if you are so bad off you need to unholster it you probably need to pull the trigger. If I were a LEO id' have likely drawn my weapon, but even in gun friendly Kentucky brandishing a weapon as a civilian steps up the amount of questions you may have to answer significantly.

 

[Mcwsky09]

As far as not calling the police - it sounds to me like a case of not calling the place for situations where by the time the police arrive there will be nothing for them to do as the trespasser is already gone - or as they arrive he hightails it out of there - etc - and if it happens too many times in a month then the client get a bill from the police department.

About 10 years ago I had a motion alarm at my house set off several times in one day and I had neglected to update the phone number on file with the alarm company so they could not get contact me. The police were dispatched to my house three times. I also had a shattered rear patio door at the time. Turns out the alarm was set off by a helium balloon that was a few days old and the air current from the heating system. I received a bill from the city for something like $50. I expect that might be a lot higher today for a business location.