The Virginian-Pilot
©
HAMPTON
A sword-wielding man died early Friday, hours after Hampton police twice used a Taser on him.
It was the first such reported death since officers there began carrying the devices in 2003, said Paula Scheck, a Hampton Police Department spokeswoman. No deaths have been reported in the three South Hampton Roads cities that widely outfit officers with Tasers.
According to a news release from Hampton police, officers responded to a complaint involving an emergency custody order in the first block of Overlook Court about 11 p.m. Thursday. When the 36-year-old man refused to come to the door, police called one of his relatives, who came to the scene.
When officers entered the home, the man swung a samurai-style sword at them, police said. Officers used the Taser on him once, and a second time when he continued to threaten them.
The man stopped breathing, and officers called medics and performed CPR. He was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 1:15 a.m., police said.
Police identified the man as Hatchel Pate Adams III of Hampton. Officers involved were placed on administrative leave while the department conducts an internal investigation, according to the news release.
The Suffolk Police Department began carrying Tasers in June 2007. Norfolk added them in February 2008, followed by Virginia Beach this April.
Suffolk has said Tasers have resulted in fewer abuse complaints. But the conducted energy devices made headlines in Norfolk in October 2008 when a police officer used a Taser three times on a brain-damaged woman.
Amnesty International says that more than 300 people have died after being struck with stun guns. The group says the devices were responsible in about 50 of those cases.
Drug intoxication accounted for most of the other deaths.
Kristin Davis, (757) 222-5208, kristin.davis@pilotonline.com
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Trey as he was lovingly
Trey as he was lovingly called was a friend. He recently was laid off from his job and depressed. He was the most kind and loving person you could know. No one would ever expect something like this from him. What the public doesn't know is that he had a heart condition and the taser more than likely caused a heart attack or disruption in the heart's rhythm.
I ask that you please pray for his family.
Something just doesn't add
Something just doesn't add up here. Very few reasons exist for calling a family member to gain access to a home. If the police actually had a reason for being there they have other methods of legal entry. A large part of procedures are to protect LEOs as well as citizens. IE assume the police are knocking on your door and for some reason you just don't want to answer it (contacting lawyer etc) getting your sister to unlock the door wouldn't really give them authorized entry to your home. It was a custody issue so perhaps the relation was involved in the issue. No reason for anyone to swing a sword at police but there may be good reason the 36yr old man thought it wasn't really the police who unlocked his door.
I knew him
Trey as he was lovingly called was a friend. He recently was laid off from his job and depressed. He was the most kind and loving person you could know. No one would ever expect something like this from him. What the public doesn't know is that he had a heart condition and the taser more than likely caused a heart attack or disruption in the heart's rhythm.
I ask that you please pray for his family.
It adds up just fine
When a commital order is issued against someone, the police are required to take the person into custody and transport them to a local hospital. The commital is issued because the person in an immediate threat to themselves or others (which this person demonstrated by swinging a Samurai sword at police officers). The officers tried to avoid deadly force (which would have been completely justified) by using another means of force. The officers had no way of knowing this would result in his death. Police put their lives at risk on a daily basis by dealing with mentally unstable persons and must react appropriately by protecting themselves and others.
It's a sad day...
It's a sad day when valid comments like this one are given "Thumbs down". "Police put their lives at risk on a daily basis by dealing with mentally unstable persons and must react appropriately by protecting themselves and others." Oh, I see what you are saying now... that if someone is assalting you or your family that I can just watch. That I have no duty or responsibility to respond or help. And if I am being shot at or being run down by Mr. Ninja-pants there, should I just let him complete his task without responding with equal or greater force to stop him? WOW! I've been doing it all wrong now for so many wasted years... Idiots...
Sticky Foam
The marines sometime back were experimenting with a sticky foam. I always thought that stuff was pretty cool and may have saved this ninja-wannabe. In this case, it appears the cops were doing their job and I hope they don't make background checks mandatory for knives because of this.
You can experiment at home
You can experiment at home with sticky foam. Go to Lowe's and pick up a can of spray foam caulking insulation, spray it all over yourself, then see how easy it is to take it off. [if anyone does this let me know I can post it on Youtube].
That's funny Alex, back
That's funny Alex, back ground check for knives. It was a sword, and as long as I can remember swords have always been illegal to carry.
Maybe he should have said
"Don't tase me bro".
Expected outcome. . .
This idiot could and should have been shot for pulling a sword. This cops did him a favor by not using lethal methods right off the bat. The bottom line is you give up your right to life as soon as engage someone with ANY weapon.