Michigan Teen Taser Death

Michigan Teen Taser Death

I also used this website, http://www.wnem.com/news/18987196/detail.html

Bay City, Michigan made National News. It took place at about 3:30 am on Sunday when officers were dispatched to a home on South Catherine Street in Bay City. The statement states that two males were arguing in an apartment and one of them “attempted to fight the officers.” The police officer then used his taser in an effort to subdue the 15 year old boy. Right after the boy was tasered his reaction to it lead the police to immediately call for emergency medical help. Once the boy reached Bay Regional Medical Center he was pronounced dead. The article stated, “Deputy Police Chief Thomas Pletzke told TV5 that one officer is on administrative leave.” The WNEM 5 website also stated that they will be continuing the story closely and will have more information tonight at 11. It really is a sad situation. I used to think that tasers were a somewhat safe way of keeping people in control even though it may shock them for a few moments. I did not realize that there was a risk that it could kill someone. I think that the teaser gun needs to be seriously looked over to find out if there was something that had to do with the gun that killed this young man. Also, if it starts becoming a reoccurrence in these taser guns, they need to figure out something differently to use.

It is sad that it ended the way it did. I know they were going to do an autopsy to find out the actual cause of his death. I also thought that tasers were just a quick fix in resolving a situation without violence. I know that it shocks you to a point where it stops you in your place kind of light getting a shock. I think the police officer was doing his job when the teen refused to cooperate. I feel the officer was trying to keep this fight from escalting to a more serious/danderous incident with the potential of more people getting involved or hurt. I hope the focus is not all on the fact that the teen died because of what a police officer did, which was his job, but the fact that he was out of control and not cooperating the whole reason why the police were even there at 3:30 in the morning.

I think that tasers need to be looked into more and find out what can cause people to get injured. I thought that they were safer than just using a gun but obviously not. I understand that two man were fighting and they couldn't get them to stop but the kid was 15 years old, I guess depending on how big he was could explain more. But I guess I would have to need more information on that. I wonder how long the police kept the taser on him. I would think that it could cause damage on how long you keep it on a person.

Let’s start with saying how much I cannot stand cops. Not all cops but most of them. Not too long ago I was at Lucky’s Pub in Bay City. At closing time a fight starts between two females. The bigger of the two was giving the 90 girl a beating. Here come the cops who ripped the big girl off of her and started tazing the small one. I don’t mean a little taze either, this guy gave her a 90 sec stretch and the poor girl was already on the ground when he tazed her. My friend and I were standing right there and he yells at the cop, “SHES HAD ENOUGH ALREADY!” He looks at him still tazing her and said, “Shut Up! Or you’ll be next.” My point is these cops are taking it too far. What male, especially one who has training, cannot subdue a 90 pound drunk college girl? I felt so bad for the girl. But I feel this cop should get charged with something. The officer probably didn’t even need to taze him, he was 15 years old. The cops are becoming weak. They all need to toughen up. I hope this cop goes to prison.

After doing a bit of research I found out that this is the second taser related death of a minor this year. There have been a total of 351 taser related deaths in the US since 2001. There is an article available on line that is about the tasers and the opposition to tasers being voiced by Amnesty International.

I can understand the use of the taser in a life threatening situation, but there seems to be some discrepancies in the stories being told by the police and the family of the young man who died in Bay City.

I would hope that the police officer in the situation was not using undue force, but it appears that that may be the case if in fact, the youth was in handcuffs. However, the officers state that the handcuffed the young Mr. Elder after they tasered him.

The autopsy is completed, but the results will not be available to the public until later. Then, only if the courts allow it. I would assume that the Bay City Police Department will have to review this case and decide when and if the officer will be allowed to return to work.

I feel horribly for the family of the young man. There can be no more painful thing than losing a child.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=7161360

Like everything you always have one that ruins the bunch, but everyone is forgetting why the cops were even called. Two calls were made, one was by a FAMILY member of the teen boy and the other was a neighbor. This teen boy was DRUNK (at the age of 15.... nice) and beating on a woman that was a relative to the point where he wouldn't stop and cops had to be called. So this boy was not completely innocent. It is too bad that he had to die, but other factors could come into play like the fact that his alcohol level was high and apparently he only weighed 140 pounds. Also, the fact that he was puking could possibly be that he may have also had alcohol poisoning. So if we are going to point fingers what about the person that furnished the ALCOHOL to a MINOR. I am sure the police officer's intent that night when the call was made was not to kill someone, but we have to remember the police are always called and have to go into situations that may not always be safe for themselves or others and it is amazing how strong some people can be especially under the influence and with adrenaline running. Obviously, there should be more precautions using tasers and possbily recreating them with a lower shock sensation. Also, another thing it is pretty upsetting is that the family of the teen have already hired Jeffrey Feiger to represent them and they just buried their son all within the same week....... what is wrong with this picture.