Canberra man dies after police use taser

NOVEMBER 1 2017 – 12:28PM

Emily Baker

Doug Dingwall

Canberra man died on Tuesday after police tasered him in the suburb of Waramanga.

Officers were called to Larakia Street about 11.30am after they received a report of a man yelling and smashing glass.

ACT Police at the scene of a death following the use of a taser by police at a home in Waramanga. Photo: Rohan Thomson

In a statement released late on Tuesday, police said they believed the man had seriously hurt himself so used a taser to prevent him from further harming himself.

Officers and paramedics then attended to the man but he was unable to be revived.

It is believed to be the first time a person has died after being tasered in the ACT.

 Shocked neighbours described the man as a “normal bloke” who would sometimes drink heavily.

He was a friendly man and kept to himself but would come over to offer a hand if he saw them working out the front, they said.

 The man, believed to be middle aged, had talked about going to Queensland with his girlfriend. Neighbours had not seen him since Saturday.

Police remove items including cash in evidence bags from the home. Photo: Rohan Thomson

Ben Mitchell lives across the road from the home and said police had attended the same residence several years ago. The road had been blocked off in that incident, he said.

“I’ve only met him once or twice at the shops there at Waramanga,” Mr Mitchell said.

Nearby residents Sally and Angela Foster. Photo: Rohan Thomson

“He was alright. He was a little scary because I was young kid back then and I’d never talked to him.

“He always lived by himself with his pet dog.”

Sally and Angela Foster, who live a street over, described Waramanga as a safe, quiet suburb.

“It’s quite unfortunate,” Sally said.

“It’s heartbreaking I suppose but I’m sure there’s a story behind it.”

Police declared a critical incident. AFP professional standards and the ACT coroner’s office were notified and attended the scene.

Police closed Larakia Street, but it was later reopened. The home’s smashed front windows were boarded late Tuesday.

The death comes as new figures show ACT Policing’s use of stun guns rose 14.3 per cent in the past financial year.

Last year, the ACT government pledged $2.7 million to roll out additional tasers to all Canberra police officers over a three-year-period.

“Providing more police with [stun guns] to equips our police officers with the resources they need to keep the ACT community and police safe,” ACT Policing said in its latest annual report.

There have been at least six taser-related deaths in Australia since 2009.

With Sherryn Groch

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Source  :  The Canberra Times