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Canadian stun gun death on video | Canadian stun gun death on video |
(10 minutes later) | |
Video footage has been released in Canada showing the last moments of an immigrant who died after being stunned with a Taser by police. | Video footage has been released in Canada showing the last moments of an immigrant who died after being stunned with a Taser by police. |
Robert Dziekanski, 40, of Pieszyce, Poland, was restrained by police after becoming agitated at Vancouver International Airport on 14 October. | Robert Dziekanski, 40, of Pieszyce, Poland, was restrained by police after becoming agitated at Vancouver International Airport on 14 October. |
Mr Dziekanski, who spoke no English, was declared dead at the scene by an emergency medical team. | Mr Dziekanski, who spoke no English, was declared dead at the scene by an emergency medical team. |
The incident is being investigated by police, the airport and the coroner. | The incident is being investigated by police, the airport and the coroner. |
See how a Taser works | See how a Taser works |
Police spokesman Cpl Dale Carr said the video was just one piece of evidence, and urged people to wait for the results of the inquest. | Police spokesman Cpl Dale Carr said the video was just one piece of evidence, and urged people to wait for the results of the inquest. |
Mr Dziekanski, a construction worker, was emigrating to Canada to join his mother, who lived in the western province of British Colombia. | |
The incident has prompted a debate about police use of Taser stun guns by police in Canada. | The incident has prompted a debate about police use of Taser stun guns by police in Canada. |
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation says up to 18 people have died after being stunned by a Taser in Canada since 2003. | The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation says up to 18 people have died after being stunned by a Taser in Canada since 2003. |
Screams | Screams |
The video was shot by a 15-year-old Canadian traveller and handed over to police, and has only just been returned to the teenager, Paul Pritchard. | The video was shot by a 15-year-old Canadian traveller and handed over to police, and has only just been returned to the teenager, Paul Pritchard. |
It starts before the police arrived, as Mr Dziekanski is seen through a glass wall in a customs area and appears agitated, sweating and breathing heavily. Airport security officials and passengers watch from the other side. | It starts before the police arrived, as Mr Dziekanski is seen through a glass wall in a customs area and appears agitated, sweating and breathing heavily. Airport security officials and passengers watch from the other side. |
Mr Dziekanski was agitated and sweating. Credit: CBC | Mr Dziekanski was agitated and sweating. Credit: CBC |
Having landed 10 hours earlier, he is seen pacing back and forth through an automatic door, standing briefly in the doorway with a small folding table, and then later with a chair. | |
At one point, he takes what looks like a laptop computer off a counter and throws it to the ground, and then throws the small table against the glass wall. | At one point, he takes what looks like a laptop computer off a counter and throws it to the ground, and then throws the small table against the glass wall. |
Four policemen then walk into view. They walk through the glass doors towards Mr Dziekanski, who turns his back on them. Witnesses say he appeared to pick up a stapler. | |
Seconds later, Mr Dziekanski is stunned by a Taser and falls down screaming and convulsing. | |
He is stunned a second time again, and then the police officers restrain him on the floor. Mr Dziekanski's screams die down, and he is seen lying still. | |
A voice is heard saying "code red", which is code for a medical emergency. | |
An autopsy found no sign of drugs or alcohol in Mr Dziekanski's system, and failed to pinpoint the cause of death. | An autopsy found no sign of drugs or alcohol in Mr Dziekanski's system, and failed to pinpoint the cause of death. |
Airport mix-up | Airport mix-up |
Walter Kosteckyj, the victim's family lawyer, said Mr Dziekanski's mother had seen portions of the video and had approved its release to the public. | |
"She had a son in distress, he was looking for help, he was frightened, and he didn't get that help," Mr Kosteckyj said. | |
He said he was disturbed by the video because Mr Dziekanski was not violent. | |
"I was expecting to see a confrontation, a discussion and things go sideways, then the tasering... That's not what you see," he said. | "I was expecting to see a confrontation, a discussion and things go sideways, then the tasering... That's not what you see," he said. |
Mr Dziekanski was coming to Canada to be with his mother, Zofia | Mr Dziekanski was coming to Canada to be with his mother, Zofia |
Mr Dziekanski had boarded a plane for the first time a day earlier in Germany, and the pair had arranged to meet at the baggage carousel in the international terminal. | |
Neither of them knew the baggage carousel was inside a secure area, with no view of the public arrivals hall area, except for a short distance through sliding glass doors, Mr Kosteckyj said. | |
No airport, customs or security employees at the airport apparently tried to help either of them, he added. | No airport, customs or security employees at the airport apparently tried to help either of them, he added. |
Eventually Mr Dziekanski emerged into the public area, but his mother had left after six hours and Mr Dziekanski apparently panicked, the lawyer said. | |
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