Sheriff's Deputy Mistakes Pistol for Taser (Assoc Press BREMERTON, WASH.. 062306) Man Reluctant to Leave Tree is Shot, Reportedly Says, "Ow, that hurt

This is one thing that could happen to any one of the Police Officer's that carry the Taser gun behind their Service Gun. In an excited state, they could grab the wrong weapon and shoot the suspect with their gun when they mean to shot them with the Taser!! As Law Enforcement Officers we are not Bat Men, although that is what the Comic Strip wants you be ultimatly belive that we are, becase Police Officers have all their tools on their belt. Hand Cuffs, Extra Ammo, ASP, Flashlight, Knife or Leathermen, as they were getting pretty popular back when I was still on the beat.

It just is easy to grab the wrong tool when something happens and it is excitment all the way. However that should have been taken care of in the practic. times during qalification etc etc... It is obviouse it wasn't and probably most if not all police departments that carry thier type of taser has to do some kind of training to carry it, so this might not happen again.

BSRanch

Sheriff’s deputy mistakes pistol for Taser

Man reluctant to leave tree is shot, reportedly says, ‘Ow, that hurt’

The Associated Press

Updated: 6:50 p.m. MT June 23, 2006

BREMERTON, Wash. - A sheriff's deputy who was trying to get a man down from a tree shot and wounded him after mistakenly pulling a gun instead of a Taser, authorities say.

The deputy, a five-year veteran of the force whose name was not released, was placed on leave while Thursday's shooting is investigated.

Deputies carry both a Taser and a gun on their utility belts. The Taser, or stun gun, is similar in shape to the compact .40-caliber gun the deputy carried, sheriff's spokesman Scott Wilson said.

The victim was listed in satisfactory condition.

The man had climbed a fig tree and stayed there for hours, talking to himself. Deputies were unsure whether he was intoxicated or psychotic, and they wanted to get him down before he hurt himself or others, Wilson said.

Deputies and rescue workers tried to coax him down for almost two hours, during which he became increasingly hostile, said David Blakeslee, an employee at an auto repair shop nearby.

Blakeslee said the man climbed down on his own after getting shot.

"He said, `Ow, that hurt. I'm coming down, I'm coming down,'" Blakeslee said.

Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.