“95-year-old woman with dementia shot with electric shock weapon by Australian police: Death sparks outrage”

The death of 95-year-old Clare Nowland has caused a furore in New South Wales, reporter BBC.

She was last week shot with an electric shock weapon by Australian police following a report that the 95-year-old was carrying a knife in a care home.

The woman, who has dementia, lived at the Yallabee Logde nursing home in the town of Cooma.

When the police arrived at the scene, the woman was found “armed” with a steak knife. She was walking with a walker and the police say she moved towards them at “slow speed”.

The 95-year-old was hit twice by the electroshock weapon. It hit her once in the chest and once in the back before she fell and suffered a skull fracture, as well as a serious brain haemorrhage, writes the BBC.

Deserving of criticism

The incident has sparked an outcry in the local community. Spokesman Andrew Thaler says CNN News that the police’s handling was objectionable:

– Electroshock weapons are used on fully grown men. Clare Nowland is a little lady.

Furthermore, Thaler stated that the woman weighed around 43 kilograms and was 1.58 centimeters tall.

The woman was sent to hospital with life-threatening injuries, and the family did not think she would survive. They were shocked and confused, Thales said at the time.

The 95-year-old has now been confirmed dead. According to the BBC, she died on Wednesday evening “surrounded by family and loved ones”.

Got dumped – then came “revenge”

– Don’t know what he was thinking

New South Wales Police Assistant Commissioner Peter Cotter has seen surveillance video of the incident. He states that the relevant police officer and health personnel at the scene tried to calm the situation – but without success.

When the 95-year-old approached the police, an electric shock was used.

– I don’t know what he was thinking when he used the weapon, says Cotter about the policeman.

Furthermore, the commissioner says that the police officer involved has twelve years’ experience, but that he has now been taken out of active service.

– This incident will be thoroughly investigated, he emphasizes.