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How Police Sanitize Tasing People: "Officer Used His Conducted Energy Weapon"
"A grand jury in Texas has declined to indict police officer Reynaldo Contreras who fatally shot an unarmed Black man who rushed toward him during a mental health call. Family members have said that the day before Warren was killed, a Bell County mental health deputy had taken him to a hospital."
"Body camera footage shows Patrick Warren waving his hands as he walks into his yard, toward officer Reynaldo Contreras, who tells him to get on the ground. Contreras then uses his stun gun. Warren gets back up and begins again advancing toward Contreras, who warns Warren to “lay back” and that he'll shoot him before firing."
"This incident is rightfully of great concern to the community. As Killeen Police Chief, it is my duty to ensure a thorough investigation is conducted so that all parties, including the public, have the answers they seek. There are many more facts in this case that are not publicly available at this time. I assure you that more information will be made available as soon as appropriate, and I ask for your patience as both investigations proceed."
"At approximately 5:29 p.m., officers were dispatched to the 1600 block of Carrollton Avenue in reference to a 911 call in reference to a psychiatric call. Upon the officer’s arrival, he encountered an emotionally distressed man. The officer initially used his conducted energy weapon, which was ineffective, and then discharged his duty weapon during the encounter, striking the subject. The male was transported by paramedics to the Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center and later succumbed to his injuries. He was pronounced deceased by medical personnel and Justice of the Peace Bill Cooke."
"Today, more than 12,000 law enforcement agencies in the United States use conducted energy devices (CEDs) as an alternative to conventional physical control tactics or other means of subdual."
"The WATOZZ is a two-shot handgun which uses a mechanical system — presumably, spring-powered — to fire less-lethal projectiles to 32 feet. As with XREP, the projectiles stick to the target and are claimed to deliver an immobilizing shock. Radio control allows the firer to turn the shocks on or off remotely."
As BBC News warns, 'no developed nation in the world uses police firearms on their citizens as often as the United State's does.' Giving police officers the ability to shock people at will for whatever reason[s] they can come up with is a killing[s] waiting to happen.