Both Taser and Firearm Used on Man Shot by Arcata Police Officer
Press release from the Arcata Police Department:
On May 17, 2016 at 6:43pm, officers from the Arcata Police Department responded to the corner of 14th and G Streets after a citizen reported a man drinking alcohol from an open container and swinging two sticks in an aggressive manner.
Two APD officers arrived at 6:51 pm where they encountered the 26-year-old male. Civilian witnesses said the male was swinging a 3′ long wooden stick and a metal cane in a martial arts style as he aggressively approached the officers.
At 6:54 pm one APD officer deployed a taser that had no affect on the man. Moments later, an APD officer discharged their firearm striking the man.
Once the male was subdued, officers began life saving efforts and immediately called for an ambulance. At approximately 6:58 pm an ambulance arrived on scene. The man was transported to a local hospital where he underwent surgery. His condition is stable, but critical.
The Humboldt County Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT) responded to investigate. CIRT is comprised of investigators from the District Attorney’s Office, Sheriff’s Department, Eureka Police Department and Fortuna Police Department.
Anyone with information about this case is encouraged to contact the Arcata Police Department at 822-2428.
An update will be released in the afternoon of 5/18.
Earlier Chapter: Arcata Police Officer Involved in a Shooting
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Prayers for the officer, the person shot, all of the arcata community. God bless humboldt county and watch over all who live here.
Ain’t the dud..uh..dude been watch’n the news lately!! Cops shoot people.
Now, obviously the guy was not in a coherent state of mind and most likely not physically too able as well. If only one officer was on scene and felt so threatened that he needed to use a gun against a most likely disabled drunk with a cane, then due to his only being one cop, MAYBE his gun was appropriate, maybe. Now, if more than one officer was engaged, this stands as a VERY SHAMEFUL ACT!
You are on target.
Shooting the compromised man four times is unconscionable.
I agree! IF..IF… It was necessary to shoot in order to control the situation…..ONE shot would have been plenty…… Anything else is unnecessary aggression!.
Why dont they just use a net to catch these tweekers? Good job otherwise, lord knows the police have their hands full these days.
That idea actually has some merit. A stick and cane are not a very effective weapons beyond the reach of the assailant. Too bad the taser didn’t do the job and lethal force was the next available option.
I’ve seen 12′ and 18′ round nets, made from nano-sized mesh, packed into camera-sized “fanny packs” which are deployed with CO2 cartridges. I think the cops need to shop around for products such as these. af
Your suggestion is one that repeatedly comes to the forefront of my mind.
Even if the Department only housed two or three such nets, in a city the size of Arcata, in many incidents, a support employee would be able to deliver the disabling-web in a timely fashion such that it could be deployed without the discharge of a firearm.
Surely using such nets would be cost effective and life and limb preserving.
Check out the link below to see police employing a net to apprehend a man wielding a knife.
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/thai-police-use-fishing-net-to-capture-knifeman-in-unusal-arrest_uk_56fd37a7e4b0c5bd919adea3
I wouldn’t be surprised if a net could be found in a fishing community.
Glad to hear they tried another approach, I been hit with “nunchucks and I tell you I didn’t go out but I was done… The cops are outnumbered for sure, hope this was part of their training for the palco marsh eviction… More to come
Good grief people, when a police officer is being attacked with any weapon and the attacker gains control and gets the police officer’s weapon, he is dead!
Same for a civilian. You don’t allow anyone to approach you in a menacing manner. You do what you have to do to protect yourself and your loved ones.
I saw an episode of modern marvels on the History channel, about non lethal weapons. The one I liked shot a blob of sticky foam that immobilized the assailant. To bad the Arcata cops didn’t have one. That’s entertainment! It would probably save a lot of money in the long run.
Who said “the taser had no affect on the man,” Kym?