Tasered man erupts into flame
p2pnet news view | Off Topic:- An Australian who’d been sniffing gasoline burst into flames after being Tasered, says the Associated Press.
Ronald Mitchell, 36, from Warburton, an Aboriginal community 950 miles (1,540 kilometres) northeast of Perth, was in critical condition, says the story, going on:
“Western Australia police said Mitchell ran from a house carrying a cigarette lighter and a large plastic bottle containing what they believe was fuel. When he refused to stop running toward them, one officer Tasered him, Western Australia police said in a media release.
“The man was immediately engulfed in flames. The officer threw him to the ground and smothered the blaze with his hands, the statement said.”
Mitchell was later charged with assault to prevent arrest and possession of a sniffing substance.
“WA Police Commissioner Karl O’Callaghan said Mr Mitchell was a known petrol sniffer and violent offender in the Aboriginal community,” says the Herald Sun, adding:
” ‘The police officers were concerned that they were going to be burnt so they deployed a Taser,’ Mr O’Callaghan said.”
Tasers, weapons which fire electrically charged darts, have been implicated deaths around the world.
They’re becoming commonplace to the extent there’s now even a Hello Kitty edition.
Associated Press – Tasered man burst into flames, July 21, 2009
Herald Sun – Ronald Mitchell set on fire in Taser strike in Warburton, WA, July 21, 2009
Hello Kitty – Hello Kitty! Then — ZAP!!!, July 9, 2009
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July 21st, 2009 at 1:46 pm
Tasering a guy soaked in gasoline?
This is criminaly stupid! Are they using morons picked up from the clinic for the retarded in Australia to play the cops or something?
July 21st, 2009 at 7:23 pm
They did the right thing. He allegedly ran towards them threatening & attempting to set THEM on fire. Their only other alternative would have been to shoot him, which would have resulted in him killed rather then in hospital. The cause of the fire is still undetermined, it could have been the taser OR it could just as likely been the lighter he was carrying, all it would have taken would be a small spark from the flint to set him off.
July 22nd, 2009 at 9:54 am
I don’t have a problem with his being tasered. If you’re going to be dumb enough to sniff gas, and even dumberer enough to run toward the cops with an open container of the stuff, then you deserve pretty much whatever you get.
Also, to the first poster, where in the story does it say he was soaked in gas? Second, when some crazy guy comes at you with a lighter and a bottle of gas, what would you do?
Everyone hates the cops until they need them. Yes, there are some screwed up cops, and maybe I’m just naive, but I think that most cops are decent folk. It’s all too easy to blame the cops when we should be blaming the law, or rather those who make the law.
July 24th, 2009 at 10:37 pm
Ah the apologists have made an entrance, answer us this if you will without foaming at the mouth, what where the police doing at this guys house and did they have a warrant for his arrest or entry to the house as its plain from the articles that the guy was running towards them to get out of the house and they where in the doorway, nice to hear folks think its ok to inflict serious injuries on an abo, not like he is going to call his lawyer is it.
As to killing the guy by using a gun cant the Australian police shoot straight of are this guys legs such a small target they needed 5 minutes and a microscope before thinking about it ?
Imagine if this was you that got tasered and then ask yourself just why it is that while your in hospital fighting for your life, and dont have any money for a lawyer, that the police commisioner is making claims about your alleged criminal record before holding any inquiry, does that sound like the actions of an unbiased protector of justice ?
One rule for the white man and another for the native australian pond life eh ?
Short story here: sniffing petrol can kill, especially if the police are poorly trained.