Mounties taser British Columbia teen
Published Saturday July 4th, 2009
RCMP says situation could have been much worse if lethal force was used
SURREY, B.C. - Mounties say an officer confronted by a knife-wielding teenager had to make a choice between his taser and his gun.
The officer chose to use the shock weapon on a 15-year-old suspect "in lieu of lethal force," RCMP said yesterday.
RCMP in Surrey, B.C., said an officer was called to a local park Thursday night after receiving reports of an intoxicated man armed with a knife.
Sgt. Roger Morrow said the lone officer heard a heated argument between a young man and several other people near a basketball court. Police say the suspect then headed into nearby bushes, where the officer followed. When the officer approached the suspect he had his hands behind his back and then brought out a 15-centimetre knife, Morrow said.
"Despite being ordered to drop the knife and failing to do so, he was tasered once, disabling him."
Morrow said it could have ended much differently. "When police officers are met with threat of death or grievous bodily harm, we are authorized to use force to stop the attack," Morrow said.
The use of tasers by law enforcement agencies across the country has been under intense scrutiny since the death of Robert Dziekanski at Vancouver's airport in 2007.
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