Taser Akron Oh Taser Use Reports 2001
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AKRON POLICE DEPARTMENT TASER USE REPORTS No. Date 1. 9/13/00 Officer Off. K. Kabellar Subject Mark Jeney W/M37 Signal #30 Tactic Fired 1 Cartridge Result Gained compliance (Synopsis: Med. #2 asked for Taser Officer response to situation where mentally disturbed man was holding a knife and razor blade. He had cut himself deeply on inside of forearm. Cut was 2" long and blood was spraying 2' away. Subject was holding razor to throat and would not let anyone get near him. He was possibly bleeding to death. Officer made decision to use taser.) 2. 11/19/00 Off. P. Thorn Thomas Steele W/M35 #43 Presented Arc Gained compliance (Synopsis: Mentally disturbed subject needed to go to PES for treatment/evaluation. He refused to go without a fight. When the Taser was presented he changed his mind.) 3. 12/27/00 Off. S. Thomas Larry Rutherford W/M41 #30 Stunned Gained compliance (Synopsis: Subject had overdosed on pills and was very intoxicated. He was also threatening but walked to EMS unit. He was strapped to bed and officer remained with him. He un-strapped himself and started fighting w/officer and EMS personnel. He was then sprayed with OC and kept fighting. Taser was then used as a stun gun for ½ second.) 4. 12/31/00 Off. K. McCoy Daniel Cooper W/M27 #10 Fired 1 Cartridge Missed (Synopsis: Subject refused to go into PES for treatment of mental illness and became confrontational with officers. Taser was deployed, but missed. As subject reached for something on the ground officers used knee and hand strikes and OC to subdue him and get him cuffed) 5. 1/8/01 Off. S. Prough Darryl Jones B/M37 #39 Tried to fire Would not deploy (Synopsis: On traffic stop man with warrant tried to resist arrest. Officer attempted to fire Taser but blast doors were missing from cartridge and for unknown reason it would not fire - Sent failed cartridge back to factory for analysis - The best they could come up with was that battery was low - we later switched to re-chargeable ones.) 6. 3/27/01 Off. S. Prough Brian A. Jones B/M27 #39 Stunned twice No compliance (failed 3rd) (Synopsis: On traffic stop subject ran from scene when confronted with arrest. Officer caught up to him and took cartridge off of Taser to use it as a stun gun if needed. Subject took a swipe at Taser. Officer then applied it to his shoulder as a stun gun. Man yelled yet kept fighting. Officer again applied it to subjects shoulder. He again yelled but kept resisting. Officer again tried to apply Taser as stun gun, but this time it would not work. Subject was then sprayed with OC.) 7. 4/6/01 Off. Horvath/Yurick Erick S. Hunt B/M 32 #10 Fired 2 simult. Gained compliance (Synopsis: Officers arrived on scene of man very irate with 12" knife in hand. They pulled their guns on him as he would not drop knife. They then called for CIT officers to respond. CIT tried to de-escalate subject to no avail. He then put knife to his stomach and walked towards officers. They had no choice but to fire their Tasers - this technique is actually recommended by Taser International if possible - does not double the electrical charge and is still within the safety parameters) 1 8. 4/21/01 Off. R. Horvath Julius T. Myricks B/M18 #10 Stunned Gained compliance (Synopsis: Officers at fight call observed subject and another male punching each other inside of a car. Subject got on top of the other male. Officers yelled for them to stop! They ignored this command. Officer removed cartridge and used Taser as a Stun Gun. When placed on the subjects hip for 3 seconds they both immediately obeyed commands.) 9. 5/16/01 Sgt. J. Mostar Paul Paulocsak W/M36 #CW Fired 1 Cartridge Gained compliance (Synopsis: Subject was suicidal and needed to go to PES. He became belligerent. Officers grabbed him. He then became violent and started punching at officers. A 5-second shot from the Taser to subject's buttocks and lower leg gained compliance. He was then cuffed and transported by Med. #11. Subject stated that if he had a weapon he would have killed the officers. He had self-mutilation wounds about his body.) 10. 5/15/01 Off. M. Hamidi Willie J. Thomas B/M 32 #10 Fired 1 Cartridge Gained compliance (Synopsis: Officers responded to a stabbing in progress. The suspect had locked a rear bedroom door and was inside with the victim. Officers kicked open door. The suspect was sitting on a bed 2' from the officers. The suspect had a kitchen knife. He then stabbed himself in the upper right chest. He had already stabbed his girlfriend numerous times as she lay bleeding on the floor. The officers then took him to the floor. He then sat back up and pulled the knife from his chest. He stated: "Shoot me! Shoot me!" Officers covered him with their guns and one of them was able to get their Taser out. Suspect was struck in chest with Taser. Suspect fell back on the bed and officers were able to cuff him.) 11. 5/19/01 Off. F. Harrah John D. Howell W/M21 #30 Fired 1 Cartridge Bounced off (Synopsis: Officer spotted man on bridge threatening to jump off. Officer tried to de-escalate this situation to no avail. When it appeared subject was actually becoming more agitated officer took calculated risk to use Taser when subject was far enough from edge as not to fall over from hit. Probes did not penetrate but did startle subject long enough for officer to grab him a wrestle him to the ground where he was cuffed.) * Taken from Supervisor's Report of Investigation - " I, Sgt. Black #886 had a counseling session with Officer Harrah reference this incident. I advised him that even though this type of response worked well under these circumstances in this incident, that it would not be the preferred course of action to take in future for all situations similar to this based on the risks involved in performing such tactics." 12. 6/12/01 Off. P. Thorn Marcus A. Pruiett B/M 18 #39 Fired 1 Cartridge Gained Compliance (Synopsis: Officers in vehicle pursuit on traffic speed charges. Driver bailed out and ran into apartment. Officers followed. Suspect found hiding in closet with only his leg visible. Officers commanded him to come out and show his hands to no avail. Supervisor trained in Taser on scene also. Officer deployed Taser and struck suspect on his left leg. Neither probe penetrated suspect skin but did lodge in pant leg. Suspect fell out of closet with a previously unseen baby in his arms. Baby was not hurt. Suspect taken into custody without further incident.) 13. 8/1/01 Off. R. Horvath Larry D. Hartley W/M 39 #27 Stunned Gained Compliance (Synopsis: On felony arrest subject became violent and was banging his head on window and prisoner divider in cruiser. He was taken out and then began fighting. Officers took him to ground. He continued to struggle. Officer then took cartridge out of Taser and applied it as a Stun Gun to his shoulder for 3 seconds. Subject then complied with commands.) 14. 8/1/01 Off. T. Russell Felice Nash B/F 47 #43 Fired 1 Cartridge Gained Compliance (Synopsis: Subject did not want to go to PES. She weighed 450lbs and was off her meds. She was hanging out her 3rd floor window and stated she wanted to fly! She began kicking and raising her fists at officers and EMS and refused to go to PES.Officers showed and told her about the Taser. She ignored their warnings. Sgt. authorized use of Taser. She received a 5-second charge to stomach area then complied and was taken to hospital. Sgt. Aylward called its use "A Godsend".) 2 15. 8/13/01 Off. R. Horvath Dony M. Holden B/M 19 #10 Stunned Gained Compliance (Synopsis: Officer responded to fight call where male was chasing another male down the street. Officer caught up to suspect who turned and began fighting and wrestling with officer. After approx. 1 minute of this intense struggle officer was becoming extremely fatigued and in fear of losing battle. Officer then pulled his Taser, took out cartridge and used it as a Stun Gun on suspects back. After 5-second shock suspect totally complied with officers commands and was taken into custody.) 16. 8/14/01 Off. G. Mesko Aaron Gregory B/M 16 #30 Fired 1 Cartridge Gained Compliance (Synopsis: Subject was upset over a positive drug test. When officers arrived he had large knife to his throat. He then put it to his wrists and stomach. Two hours of de-escalation attempts failed. He threatened to blow up house with gas stove if anyone attempted to come in. Officers negotiated through open window. At one point he asked if we would shoot him if he came out and charged officers? He then became even more agitated. Sgt. Christman ordered officer to use Taser if given a clear shot through window. Officer hit subject in chest, knocking knife out of his hand. As he fell to the ground, officer climbed through window and apprehended subject. He was taken to Children's Hospital by EMS.) 17. 8/16/01 Horvath/LeMonier Russell L. Maning W/M 33#6 Fired 3 Cartridges Gained Compliance (Synopsis: Officers responded to call reference a car jacking. Suspect had knife to his throat. Suspect was given multiple verbal commands and did not comply. Officer used O/C spray to no avail. Akron U officer fired bean bag round at suspect but missed. Officer then tried to fire Taser cartridge but blast doors did not fly off and probes went through these doors and fell to the ground. Officer reloaded and fired at same time as his partner fired his own Taser. Only one of the officers hit the subject good enough in leg to cause a shock that dropped the knife from the suspects hands and sent him to the ground where he was subdued and cuffed.) 18. 8/18/01 Kennedy/Richardson Eric W. Cline W/M 31 #43 Fired 2 Cartridges Gained compliance (Synopsis: Officers responded to a suicide in progress with a knife. Suspect was in backyard holding large knife to his throat. Suspect was very upset, crying and kept walking towards two witnesses and officers. Officers kept ordering him to drop the knife. He would not. Suspect took another step towards officers and they both fired their Tasers. Suspect dropped knife and fell to the ground and was cuffed. One of the officers missed, as suspect was falling from first Taser hit.) 19. 9/3/01 Off. K. Jackson April Solomon B/F 17 #12 Fired 1 Cartridge Gained Compliance (Synopsis: Officers responded to CSB reference a juvenile who had assaulted a worker. Prior to being arrested the juvenile was found in a restroom cutting her wrists with a safety razor. Juvenile refused to drop the razor and continued cutting her wrists. Officer then deployed the Taser for 3-seconds. She immediately dropped the razor and fell to the ground. Officers could then control her for EMS.) 20. 9/7/01 Off. P. Thorn Stanley Price B/M 24 #30 Fired 1 Cartridge Gained Compliance (Synopsis: Officers responded to call of a jumper on the Y-bridge. Suspect was on the edge. He was 6'5"and 220 lbs. De-escalation techniques failed and he eventually became more agitated. Officers could get close to him though. As he climbed the railing officer deployed Taser with Major's approval, striking him in back kidney area from within 5'. He slumped to the ground and was taken to hospital for probe removal.) 3