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Man dies after being shot with a Taser in suspected burglary Fears over excessive stun gun use by police after man shot with Taser dies
(about 5 hours later)
A man has died after being shot with a Taser when police were called to a suspected burglary. Fears over excessive police use of stun guns have been raised after the death of a suspected burglar in Staffordshire on whom officers had used a Taser.
Officers went to a house in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, shortly after 1am on Monday following calls about a break-in. The man died in the early hours of Monday in Newcastle-under-Lyme after police were called to a property shortly after 1am in response to reports of a break-in.
When police arrived at the house, the occupants had left but a man was still inside. Officers entered the property and are believed to have used a Taser on the man who was then put in a police car. After police used a Taser, the man was put in a police car but became “unresponsive” and died following medical attention, Staffordshire police said in a statement.
The man became unresponsive in the car and died shortly after receiving treatment from West Midlands ambulance service. A spokesperson said: “A detailed investigation is under way and the scene will remain cordoned off while the investigation continues.
An investigation into the incident has been launched and Staffordshire police said in a statement: “As is normal in a case like this, the incident has now been referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission. “Local officers will be in the community throughout the day, talking to residents.”
“A detailed investigation is under way and the scene will remain cordoned off while the investigation continues. Local officers will be in the community throughout the day, talking to residents.” It is the second death following police use of a Taser in two months. Matthew Williams died after he was Tasered following an attack on a young woman in a bedroom at a hostel for homeless people in the Welsh valleys.
Sophie Khan, a solicitor who has criticised police use of Tasers, called on Theresa May to consider a temporary ban. “There are safety issues over Tasers. The latest death shows that Tasers can cause fatalities and they are a lethal weapon.
“Taser use has been criticised in the past as Tasers have been used on the vulnerable and minors. This recent death raises further questions as to why no steps have been taken by the police forces to address the real threat to life due to Taser use.
“This Taser death comes at a time when the actions of police officers in the UK and US have been placed under a spotlight. It is now time for the home secretary to consider whether a temporary ban on Tasers should be introduced.”
Home Office figures released in October show that police use of Tasers has increased sharply, by 13% in 12 months. The stun guns were used more than 5,100 times in England and Wales in the first six months of 2014.
The weapons have been linked to at least 10 deaths in England and Wales over the past decade.
Police were ordered to apologise in person last year to an elderly blind man who was Tasered after they mistook his white stick for a samurai sword.
Earlier this month, a Manchester coroner ruled that five police officers who wanted to remain anonymous would be named at the inquest into a man shot with a Taser.
Factory worker Jordan Lee Begley, 23, died two hours after a Greater Manchester police officer shot him with a stun gun at his home in Gorton on 10 July last year. Police had been called to his home following an argument.
Devon and Cornwall police were criticised for using Tasers on two boys aged 14 and 15 after reports of an alleged assault on a teacher at Chelfham senior school.
After the most recent incident in Newcastle-under-Lyme, a neighbour described seeing a “drunk-looking” man walk out of the block of flats where the suspected burglary had taken place.
The man was escorted by at least three officers into a custody van, and said “help me”, said the neighbour, who did not want to be named.
“I looked out and there was about seven cop cars, and this guy came out – he was still alive then, he was still walking,” he said. “There were about nine of them and they were carrying him, one under each arm and another in front to hold him up. He was saying ‘help me’. He looked drunk.”
Tasers were introduced to UK police forces in 2004 to give officers an alternative to using firearms or heavy weapons such as batons.
Around 12% of UK police officers carry a Taser and, according to government guidelines, all officers must be trained before being allowed to use one.
In July, data published by the Independent Police Complaints Commission revealed that Staffordshire police used Tasers more than any other force, with shots being fired 33 times per 100 officers.