North Carolina Fugitive Stopped with Stun Gun

When a North Carolina man sexually assaulted a 13-year-old girl and made his escape, he thought he was scot-free. What he didn’t know was that New Jersey police were aware of his location and were on their way, stun gun in hand.

The 27-year-old North Carolina resident checked into a hotel in New Brunswick, New Jersey for several days. On Friday morning, March 5, 2010, police knocked on the suspect’s door. When they failed to receive an answer, they broke down the door and entered. The suspect was on an inflatable mattress while a guest was using the bed.

Ordered to put his hands in the air, the suspect refused. Police responded by using a stun gun to shock the man. A particularly good choice as the suspect dropped a loaded .22 caliber revolver, when stunned. The potential for mayhem was clearly even larger than officers imagined.

Both individuals were detained and the suspect taken to Middlesex County Jail pending extradition to North Carolina. The guest who was found on the bed was initially detained, but was released later.

The Stun Gun Makes a Difference
It is easy to imagine what might have happened if police officers had tried to arrest the fugitive without the use of a self defense stun gun. With a weapon loaded and ready for action, it would have been very simple for the suspect to shoot an officer in the line of duty. The stun gun provided an effective and particularly timely way to subdue the suspect, and it reduced the risk to all officers involved.

Arresting wanted criminals is an inherently dangerous job. Police officers put their lives on the line each time they approach an unknown element. While most such situations resolve themselves safely, it is important that officers have non-lethal ways to control a potentially dangerous situation.