In British Columbia a “Naked and Agitated” Man Taken Down with TASER

An Unexpected Situation
Police were called to the scene at 10:40 p.m. A Saanich police officer attempted to subdue the man with the use of his baton to no effect. The policeman then backed away and drew his gun as a defensive measure. Fortunately, a second officer arrived at this time.

At “six-foot-one and 215 pounds,” the man was a clear threat to the officers. They next attempted to subdue him with pepper spray and by deploying a canine officer as well. When all these attempts failed to reduce the man’s agitation and aggression, the officers opted to use a TASER brought along by yet a third policeman. With one shot, the situation was diffused.

TASERs Save Lives
The availability of the TASER eliminated the need to use firearms to subdue the agitated man. An officer who attended the incident stated, "This is an instance where the TASER saved this man's life. He was very strong and athletic, and it was difficult to arrest him."
The individual was taken to a hospital for care and to test for alcohol and drugs. He was released on his own recognizance with the promise that he would appear in court at a later date to face charges of “mischief and assault”.
Had the officers responding to the situation not had the option of using a TASER, it is likely that the man causing the scene would have gotten shot. The TASER allowed the policemen to control a situation with a large and agitated individual without endangering any lives.