Chicago: Taser sends Black teen into cardiac arrest

A 14-year-old boy went into cardiac arrest after police shot him with a Taser stun gun, raising new questions about a weapon that is already the subject of a federal investigation. The boy was regaining consciousness Wednesday but was not yet talking, said Cook County Public Guardian Robert Harris. Police spokesman David Bayless said the 6-foot-2, 220-pound boy, a ward of the state since 1999, attacked three employees at the group home where he lives Monday, and an officer used the Taser because the boy lunged at him. Taser International Inc. spokesman Steve Tuttle said the company's stun guns, which deliver 50,000 volts of electricity, "are among the safest alternatives available to law enforcement to subdue violent individuals." The Securities and Exchange Commission recently announced an inquiry into the Scottsdale, Ariz., manufacturer's safety claims. The Arizona Republic has reported 84 deaths after a shock from a Taser since 1999. The 6-foot-tall, approximately 200-pound boy had struck staff employees and threatened firefighters reporting to the scene, according to Cargie. When an Albany Park District sergeant attempted to calm the boy in a general room at the group home, the boy "jumped" off the couch toward the sergeant, causing him to use the stun gun, Cargie said. But, officials at the public guardian's office say the teen was no longer violent when officers arrived. The boy was taken to Children's Memorial Hospital, but Cargie could not say if he was taken due to injuries sustained from the Taser gun or for previous injuries. He remained at Children's Memorial Tuesday night and his condition had stabilized, Cargie said. Only Chicago Police sergeants carry Taser guns and are trained in their use. The device shoots darts carrying electrical impulses that override the central nervous system long enough to subdue someone.
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• Pictured above: "It's very inappropriate what happened to the kid," said Cook County Public Guardian Robert Harris. [more]
• Man hit by cop stun gun dies [more]
• Despite Rising Death Toll, Police generally pleased with Tasers [more]
• DCFS To Sue Police For Using Taser On Teen [more]