The use of Taser guns by law enforcement has always been a contentious issue, and a recent incident has once again brought it to the forefront. A 35-year-old man died after being Tasered by police during an altercation in a high-rise apartment building. The man fell from his balcony and died on the scene, leading to a call for an inquiry into the matter. The incident has once again fuelled the debate over the use of Tasers and raised questions about police training, accountability and the proper use of force. In this article, we delve deeper into the circumstances surrounding this tragic event and explore the possible implications of this incident on the use of Tasers in law enforcement.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has launched an inquiry into the death of a man who fell from a balcony at a residential block in south-east London after being Tasered by Met Police officers. The police watchdog said it had been informed that officers were responding to reports of a man threatening to jump on April 12.
For more than an hour, the Met officers tried to persuade him to come inside, the watchdog was told. He was then Tasered by an officer and fell to the ground, according to the IOPC. He was rushed to hospital but later died from his injuries.
The officer who Tasered the man was present on the balcony during the incident, which took place in the early hours and on several floors up in the block in Peckham.
A mandatory referral was made by the Met Police to the IOPC, and the officers are trying to identify the man’s next of kin, while formal identification and a post-mortem examination are set to take place at a later date.
“We received a mandatory referral from the force and declared an independent investigation the next day,” a spokesperson for the IOPC said. “Our investigation is in its initial stages and we have secured officers’ body-worn footage as we begin gathering evidence.”
Det Ch Supt Seb Adjei-Addoh, in charge of Met policing for Lambeth and Southwark, has expressed his concern over the situation and emphasized the importance of police officers knowing that their actions will be scrutinized in such situations, stating that the Met is fully supporting the independent investigation by the IOPC.
The incident highlights the ongoing debate around the use of Tasers by police officers in potentially life-threatening situations. While Tasers are generally considered a less-lethal option than firearms, critics have raised concerns that their use can lead to serious injury or death, especially if the recipient falls from a height.
The IOPC inquiry will likely explore the circumstances leading up to the incident and the actions taken by the officers involved, including whether the use of the Taser was proportionate and necessary in the circumstances.
This incident once again highlights the need for police officers to be highly trained in de-escalation techniques and to be equipped with non-lethal alternatives to use in potentially dangerous situations. It also emphasizes the importance of ensuring that police officers are held accountable for their actions, especially in high-stress situations where lives are at risk.
