Vancouver Police kill immigrant with tazer

Ginger · 11-15-2007

We were talking on here awhile ago about Police up here being held accountable for shootings, and I had mentioned how often they will use tazers. Well in this case, they used them with no provocation (in my view, and almost every other persons around here) and ended up killing this poor immigrant. This man had just travelled 20 hours, did not speak English, was stranded in the airport for about 6 hours and from what can be ascertained he was just very disoriented and did not know where to go or what to do and became a little aggressive. The police on the scene were very large individuals, FOUR OF THEM, very highly trained RCMP officers and VERY capable of jointly taking this man down with a little force and without the use of their tazers. Instead they decided to jointly tazer him within 25 seconds of their arrival instead of even TRYING to assess the situation, and they killed him.

After suffering heart failure, you can see in the video the police - who are also highly trained in first aid - did not even administer CPR! I find this incomprehensible. Thoughts?

Warning: The video is quite graphic and depicts this mans death.

Link to the story and video

Tommygurl · 11-15-2007

Leasa....This is one of the most horrifying things I have ever seen. I saw it on Global last night....I was listening to a radio talk show today & they warned people not to watch it. It is life changing & something I will carry with me forever....In the same vault the memories I have of watching 9-11 coverage.

I am sick. I am outraged this was allowed to occur. I am so sad for this man. I cannot believe this happenned. He must have been so afraid. I can't imagine being in his position....In immigration for 10 hours (?) unable to speak a word of English. I cannot imagine how his Mother feels.....

I hope these officers are charged with murder.

Marman · 11-15-2007

I dont know all the circumstances but if it went down as you said, it's a very tragic event. Were hearing more and more stories of police going to the tazer when it seems they had other options....i.e. the 82 year old lady with Alzheimers that got tazered a few weeks ago. ... very sad these guys are going to go down.

Tommygurl · 11-15-2007

The guy who shot the video had given it to the police to "make a copy"....Then they refused to give it back....Gee I wonder why? He had to take them to court to get it back. On the video you see people in the airport (other passengers) try to help him...You see his desperation as he trys to break the glass to get out.....He had never flown before...he was coming here to live with his Mother.

It bothers me that the Vancouver Police are so smug....that they can never admit they screwed up......

Opatije · 11-15-2007

He clearly "provoked" however, the action taken by RCMP was "bloody excessive"... This is what happened when you give dangerous toys to irresponsible individuals.

Tommygurl · 11-15-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Opatije

He clearly "provoked" however, the action taken by RCMP was "bloody excessive"... This is what happened when you give dangerous toys to irresponsible individuals.

I think they need to take circumstance into the equation....YVR security was there & they did not attempt to take the man down.
This guy was holding a stapler in his hand. He threw a chair at the window....I think a computer too....He was desperate!
It was certainly "bloody excessive" I agree!

Bevoz · 11-15-2007

I totaly agree with Ginger the RCMP handled this situation with out thinking first I hope our system does the right thing. There was never never any need for it to come to the end that it did.

Ginger · 11-15-2007

It is a very sad end, and Melissa is right, the video is very, very sad. This man was stuck in Immigration for six hours, could they not find a Polish interpreter? No one can seem to explain that! He was probably very lost and uncertain in a strange place. In the video he was very clearly distraught, he was sweating and breathing very heavily. The woman who was speaking to him in the video has been interviewd and has said he did calm down a bit when she spoke to him, he just seemed to not understand what to do.

I guess I just don't understand why the Police would not just try to grab him, twist his arm, cuff him, etc. Why go to the extent they did? Even if they had tazered him once...why again and again? They didnt' even TRY anything else.

Even expert Police here and other experts in the field are saying there was no excuse for it. The RCMP are working hard to cover their hides in this case also.

I hate to say it, but it seems to me in this case as I have seen myself in the past, that these are individuals that do not deserve to wear the badge. I have come across a lot of bullies who become police officers for the ability to become a sanctioned bully, and these ones seem to fit the bill. I know that most Police officers should be revered and they do a hard job that is often unappreciated and underpaid, and I have a very good friend who is a cop and she is a very good and honest one at that. I'm just saying there is a small percentage who really need to have a closer look taken at them, you know?

Tommygurl · 11-15-2007

Like shooting Ian Bush in the back of the head....
Or beating the crap out of the native man & leaving him to die in an alley....

The RCMP need to be held accountable for their actions. The fact is they investigate themselves when something like this happens.

After they had him on the ground & he quit breathing they still had a knee in his neck. Sick.

Seakony · 11-15-2007

The video cut off before the police arrived.......was there not anybody to meet this poor man when he arrived? Tazers can be deadly and one shot is enough to get them down. After that the police should move in to restrain a person...not keep shooting him.

Ginger · 11-15-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seakony

The video cut off before the police arrived.......was there not anybody to meet this poor man when he arrived? Tazers can be deadly and one shot is enough to get them down. After that the police should move in to restrain a person...not keep shooting him.

Really? it shouldn't...it should keep going to where they have him on the ground and he isn't moving.

They tazer him four or five times I think. He isn't even fighting back.

Tommygurl · 11-15-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seakony

The video cut off before the police arrived.......was there not anybody to meet this poor man when he arrived? Tazers can be deadly and one shot is enough to get them down. After that the police should move in to restrain a person...not keep shooting him.

Yes his Mother was in Arrivals however for some reason he was not released from the secure part of Immigration......He wandered around for 6 hours.
You should be able to see the whole thing unless there is an injuction against it now.

bufante · 11-15-2007

Wow.

Tragic event.

I don't think the RCMP officers murdered this poor guy.

The Taser is a less then lethal weapon, designed to subdue, not kill. No telling what sort of medical history this guy had that might have contributed to his unfortunate death, but I would be willing to guess that is a big factor.

I am not going to pass judgement yet, as I think it is too soon. There are a lot of factors not covered in this story or in the video.

Seakony · 11-15-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tommygurl

Yes his Mother was in Arrivals however for some reason he was not released from the secure part of Immigration......He wandered around for 6 hours.
You should be able to see the whole thing unless there is an injuction against it now.

How strange. after an hour I would have found out if my arrival person made it to the airport..and kept checking. They obviously had the mans name.

Ginger · 11-15-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by bufante

Wow.

Tragic event.

I don't think the RCMP officers murdered this poor guy.

The Taser is a less then lethal weapon, designed to subdue, not kill. No telling what sort of medical history this guy had that might have contributed to his unfortunate death, but I would be willing to guess that is a big factor.

I am not going to pass judgement yet, as I think it is too soon. There are a lot of factors not covered in this story or in the video.

That could very well be true, after all he was brething very heavy and was very sweaty...could be signs of some sort of impending heart issue.

However, given that the tazer is probably not a good option to use, don't you think? I mean, he wasnt posing a threat to their safety in any way. They asked him to back up to the wall...he did so. Then they tazer him. Even the former Superintendant of 33 years says it was excessive. I dunno....

11-15-2007	#1 (permalink)
Ginger none Join Date: Apr 2001 Posts: 10,183	Vancouver Police kill immigrant with tazer We were talking on here awhile ago about Police up here being held accountable for shootings, and I had mentioned how often they will use tazers. Well in this case, they used them with no provocation (in my view, and almost every other persons around here) and ended up killing this poor immigrant. This man had just travelled 20 hours, did not speak English, was stranded in the airport for about 6 hours and from what can be ascertained he was just very disoriented and did not know where to go or what to do and became a little aggressive. The police on the scene were very large individuals, FOUR OF THEM, very highly trained RCMP officers and VERY capable of jointly taking this man down with a little force and without the use of their tazers. Instead they decided to jointly tazer him within 25 seconds of their arrival instead of even TRYING to assess the situation, and they killed him. After suffering heart failure, you can see in the video the police - who are also highly trained in first aid - did not even administer CPR! I find this incomprehensible. Thoughts? Warning: The video is quite graphic and depicts this mans death. Link to the story and video

11-15-2007	#4 (permalink)
Tommygurl crab killer Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: I am Canadian!! Posts: 14,923	The guy who shot the video had given it to the police to "make a copy"....Then they refused to give it back....Gee I wonder why? He had to take them to court to get it back. On the video you see people in the airport (other passengers) try to help him...You see his desperation as he trys to break the glass to get out.....He had never flown before...he was coming here to live with his Mother. It bothers me that the Vancouver Police are so smug....that they can never admit they screwed up...... Last edited by Tommygurl; 11-15-2007 at 06:22 PM..

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11-15-2007	#2 (permalink)
Tommygurl crab killer Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: I am Canadian!! Posts: 14,923	Leasa....This is one of the most horrifying things I have ever seen. I saw it on Global last night....I was listening to a radio talk show today & they warned people not to watch it. It is life changing & something I will carry with me forever....In the same vault the memories I have of watching 9-11 coverage. I am sick. I am outraged this was allowed to occur. I am so sad for this man. I cannot believe this happenned. He must have been so afraid. I can't imagine being in his position....In immigration for 10 hours (?) unable to speak a word of English. I cannot imagine how his Mother feels..... I hope these officers are charged with murder.

11-15-2007	#3 (permalink)
Marman añejo Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Idaho Posts: 2,337	I dont know all the circumstances but if it went down as you said, it's a very tragic event. Were hearing more and more stories of police going to the tazer when it seems they had other options....i.e. the 82 year old lady with Alzheimers that got tazered a few weeks ago. ... very sad these guys are going to go down.

11-15-2007	#5 (permalink)
Opatije life=playa Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: baño perfumado... Posts: 764	He clearly "provoked" however, the action taken by RCMP was "bloody excessive"... This is what happened when you give dangerous toys to irresponsible individuals.

11-15-2007	#7 (permalink)
Bevoz life=playa Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Soon in Playa Del Carmen for now Beautiful BC Posts: 537	I totaly agree with Ginger the RCMP handled this situation with out thinking first I hope our system does the right thing. There was never never any need for it to come to the end that it did.

11-15-2007	#8 (permalink)
Ginger none Join Date: Apr 2001 Posts: 10,183	It is a very sad end, and Melissa is right, the video is very, very sad. This man was stuck in Immigration for six hours, could they not find a Polish interpreter? No one can seem to explain that! He was probably very lost and uncertain in a strange place. In the video he was very clearly distraught, he was sweating and breathing very heavily. The woman who was speaking to him in the video has been interviewd and has said he did calm down a bit when she spoke to him, he just seemed to not understand what to do. I guess I just don't understand why the Police would not just try to grab him, twist his arm, cuff him, etc. Why go to the extent they did? Even if they had tazered him once...why again and again? They didnt' even TRY anything else. Even expert Police here and other experts in the field are saying there was no excuse for it. The RCMP are working hard to cover their hides in this case also. I hate to say it, but it seems to me in this case as I have seen myself in the past, that these are individuals that do not deserve to wear the badge. I have come across a lot of bullies who become police officers for the ability to become a sanctioned bully, and these ones seem to fit the bill. I know that most Police officers should be revered and they do a hard job that is often unappreciated and underpaid, and I have a very good friend who is a cop and she is a very good and honest one at that. I'm just saying there is a small percentage who really need to have a closer look taken at them, you know?

11-15-2007	#9 (permalink)
Tommygurl crab killer Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: I am Canadian!! Posts: 14,923	Like shooting Ian Bush in the back of the head.... Or beating the crap out of the native man & leaving him to die in an alley.... The RCMP need to be held accountable for their actions. The fact is they investigate themselves when something like this happens. After they had him on the ground & he quit breathing they still had a knee in his neck. Sick.

11-15-2007	#10 (permalink)
Seakony añejo Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: no longer in Mesquite with nothing to do Posts: 10,226	The video cut off before the police arrived.......was there not anybody to meet this poor man when he arrived? Tazers can be deadly and one shot is enough to get them down. After that the police should move in to restrain a person...not keep shooting him.

11-15-2007	#13 (permalink)
bufante minucker Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Crop Dusting the IA Posts: 2,613	Wow. Tragic event. I don't think the RCMP officers murdered this poor guy. The Taser is a less then lethal weapon, designed to subdue, not kill. No telling what sort of medical history this guy had that might have contributed to his unfortunate death, but I would be willing to guess that is a big factor. I am not going to pass judgement yet, as I think it is too soon. There are a lot of factors not covered in this story or in the video.