Vancouver police use Taser on suicidal man, give each other fist bumps in social media video
A social media video that captures the moment a man gets Tasered by a Vancouver police officer is prompting calls for more training for police going out on mental health calls.
It happened Saturday near Rogers Arena. The Vancouver Police Department said someone called 911 about a suicidal man who was acting erratically and placing himself in danger.
Jessica Wetzstein posted parts of the incident on social media. In her videos, she can be heard gasping in shock that the man gets Tasered.
"Why did they do that? He wasn't resisting in any way," she can be heard saying.
The video shows six police officers standing in a semi circle around the man, and without notice, a female officer discharges the Taser.
"This man is clearly having a mental health episode. He's been sitting up here screaming," Wetzstein said.
The VPD confirmed the man was having a mental health crisis and when officers asked him to go to hospital for a psychological assessment, he refused.
"It's frightening to think that's who will deal with a mental health crisis," said Sarah Blyth, a Downtown Eastside advocate. "Who would ask for help in a suicide call if that's the help that came?"
"I've seen compassion come from the police on many occasions, but I've also seen police deal with things where they create a way worse situation than was necessary," she said.
In an email, Sgt. Steve Addison said police have the authority to arrest anyone who they believe is a danger to themselves or others and must take that person to a doctor for assessment. He added they are also authorized to use as much force as necessary as they execute their duties.
"Conducted energy weapons are carried by specially-trained VPD officers and are used to prevent bodily harm to police and the public. They can also be used to prevent a person from self-harm," Sgt. Addison wrote.
But Rob Gordon, a criminology professor at Simon Fraser University, said there is reason to scrutinize the use of a Taser in this situation.
"On the basis of the limited footage I have seen this afternoon, and my involvement in both the national and the provincial reviews following the Braidwood Inquiry, I suspect there is enough doubt to warrant an investigation into the conduct of the officers with respect to their decision to use a conducted energy weapon," he told CTV News.
Questions are also being raised about the officers' conduct after the man was Tasered.
Minutes after the incident, while some of the officers were tending to the man, one male officer fist-bumped the female officer who discharged the conducted energy weapon.
When questioned why that happened, Sgt. Addison wrote: "(It) wouldn’t be appropriate to speculate without full context, however it’s common for police officers to use non-verbal cues to check in on each other during dynamic and high-stress situations. This is sometimes called a buddy-check."
Blyth called the fist-bump highly inappropriate.
"I can't imagine any context where a person would be happy to Tase a suicidal person. It's completely outrageous," she said.
Police said the man was taken to hospital for a mental health evaluation.
He was also wanted on two warrants and was taken into custody.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
'Sophisticated' cyberattacks detected on B.C. government networks, premier says
There has been a "sophisticated" cybersecurity breach detected on B.C. government networks, Premier David Eby confirmed Wednesday evening.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
Canucks claw out 5-4 comeback win over Oilers in Game 1
Dakota Joshua had a goal and two assists and the Vancouver Canucks scored three third-period goals to claw out a 5-4 comeback victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series Wednesday.
Nijjar murder suspect says he had Canadian study permit in immigration firm's video
One of the Indian nationals accused of murdering British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar says in a social media video that he received a Canadian study permit with the help of an Indian immigration consultancy.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.