Posted on 08/16/2004 12:28:03 PM PDT by freepatriot32
SOUTH BEND -- A man with Alzheimer's disease who was wandering amidst traffic in the middle of a busy street suffered multiple injuries when a South Bend police officer used a Taser on him Friday night while attempting to coax him to safety.
Thompson Thewo, 65, suffered deep cuts to his face, a fractured arm and a dislocated elbow after the officer tried to keep him out of the Ironwood Drive and Lincoln Way East intersection.
Thewo hurt his face during a fall after he was hit by the first of two Taser probes, then suffered the arm injury when the officer attempted to handcuff him, his son Matthew Thewo says.
Police defended the officer's actions, saying there was no way to know the man was an Alzheimer's patient and that he could have been more seriously injured if the officer had not prevented him from walking in front of traffic.
On Wednesday, Thompson Thewo, visiting the United States from Zambia and staying with family members while he received treatment for Alzheimer's, required surgery to insert metal pegs into his elbow.
"To me, they were way too aggressive with him," Matthew said. "They need to use good judgment when they're looking at someone in the street. If this had been a bad guy and then they had Tasered him, then that's a different story.
"If he had been aggressive or shoved (the officer), then OK, then I can see why they did that. But he was just walking away, and I don't think that's justification for using a stun gun," Matthew said.
But police spokesman Capt. John Williams said the officer, a 13- or 14-year veteran, did what he needed to do to keep Thewo out of harm's way.
"I'm sure that by him Tasering that fellow, that was a last resort," Williams said. "You can take that to the bank."
The police report states the officer repeatedly called for Thewo to come out of the street, but he kept walking north on Ironwood, nearing the Lincoln Way East intersection. The officer tried to handcuff him and pull him back from traffic, but Thewo pulled away and the officer deployed his Taser.
Thewo fell to the ground, but then began to walk away toward traffic. The officer again used his Taser, then called for an ambulance.
"The officer, as far as I'm concerned, didn't do anything wrong," Williams said. "How are we supposed to know that he's an Alzheimer's patient? He was Tased once he put up a struggle."
Thewo was not arrested or charged with any crime, Williams said. Matthew Thewo said his father wandered away from his brother's house while his mother was on the telephone.
The incident has cost the Thewo family about $10,000, Matthew said, because of the trip to the emergency room, additional medical care and changes to travel plans.
Staff writer Patrick M. O'Connell:
poconnell@sbtinfo.com
(574) 235-6357
http://finance.yahoo.com/q?d=t&s=TASR
Officer Friendly strikes again.
Alzheimer patients can become violent. This is a sad story, but short on accurate facts. Consider that this man could have been killed in trafic, compared to a fall. Serious yes, but not fatal. Much more info needed here.
There he goes giving the Jane Fonda salute again. I would say the "black power" salute, but Kerry is not black so I assume he is following his co-commie Jane Fonda who also seems to have a penchant for that fist salute. It must be a code between those two because they`re the only two white people who do it.
I am waiting for an outcry for taser control.
After all, it was the taser's fault.
Perhaps there is an organization called the NTA? :) More trouble for those hating the second amendment (but who probably love the invention of privacy rights).
goats can become violent too.
At one point a police officer used his taser to try to subdue the goat. The device knocked the animal to the ground, but when the officer approached the goat it jumped up and ran away.
http://www.kaaltv.com/article/view/77797/
I just love cops who are so anxious to shoot a citizen with something. </ sarcasm>
Ummm you are a police officer...STOP THE TRAFFIC. Obviously the old man had problems.
On Wednesday, Thompson Thewo, visiting the United States from Zambia and staying with family members while he received treatment for Alzheimer's, required surgery to insert metal pegs into his elbow.
You all missed this. This is anadvanced alzheimers patient.
People who are likely to become public charges are not supposed to be admitted to the US. This guy isn't going home, he's here as PROCOL (under the color of law). That means we're too compassionate to deport him, given his disability. The US taxpayer will foot the very substantial charges as he ultimately goes on medicaid. The family knew he wasnt going back when they brought him in. That's why they brought him here.
They don't make cops like they used to.
Sadly, you're right. Taxpayers will ultimately pick up most of this bill.
Rereading the article more carefully, I can see family members rubbing their hands with barely restrained glee over what happened to Thewo. He's got some injuries, which they can fix. He has a preexisting condition, which they'll say was exacerbated by this traumatic incident. Let's see. Rodney King got $8 million. How much do we think Thewo, Alzheimer's victim, will get?
Sure, the cops did *everything* they could to keep this demented old man from wandering into traffic before tasing him. After all, the old guy *resisted*, didn't he?
Ask yourself whether the good chief would be so understanding if a private citizen had made one attempt to get a feeble old guy out of the road and then tased him. What do you think?
Not saying that this guy was a threat to the cops or anything, but Alzheimer's patients can suprise you sometimes.
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