Stun Gun Used to Subdue Arkansas Man

Fort Smith, Arkansas, police were recently called to a local motel to help a man who was distraught and suicidal. He had allegedly attempted to set himself on fire and had partially burned his hotel room in a suicide attempt. Once the fire began to spread in the hotel room, the man called the police out of fear that the other motel rooms would also catch on fire. When the police got there, he was lying in front of his room and smoke was pouring out of the room’s doorway. He had used a lighter to start the fire, burning the comforter and the curtains in an attempt to burn himself. Firefighters were called and the fire was extinguished.

The man was taken to a local hospital, Sparks Regional Medical Center, and was examined there for any injuries related to the motel blaze. While in the hospital, the man allegedly caused a disturbance by hitting a picture on the wall, taking out his own IV and screaming in his hospital room. The disturbance required the assistance of the police officer who had been in the hospital completing the paperwork for the man’s the case. When the officer entered the room, several verbal commands were issued to try to calm the man and prevent further noise and damage to the room. When the man did not comply with the officer’s orders, the officer allegedly used a stun gun on the man.

Once the man had been shocked with the stun gun, he was immediately arrested. No other force was needed after the stun gun was used. He was then taken into custody and was booked into the local jail, the Sebastian County Detention center. The charges against him are disorderly conduct, first-degree criminal mischief and the suspicion of reckless burning.