Newly-released footage captures an incident from March which shows a Kansas under-sheriff tasing a 91-year-old man with Alzheimer’s at a nursing home in Minneapolis.
The Ottaway County deputy Russ Thornton was filmed discharging his stun gun at the distressed man and then handcuffing him on the ground as he writhed around in agony.
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The elderly man who had become ‘disorderly’ and allegedly struck another patient, died just two months after the incident.
RT reports:
The 91-year-old man was incapacitated immediately after the deputy from Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office tased the man in the back. The incident occurred at a nursing home in Minneapolis, Kansas, and was recorded on body camera.
Local news station KWCH obtained the newly-released video footage following open records request.
The elderly man allegedly became aggressive towards another nursing home resident and resisted attempts by law enforcement and others to lead him into a van to visit a doctor, according to KWCH.
“Relax buddy,” one deputy can be heard saying as the elderly man howls in pain following the Taser shot. After he was tased, the man was put on a stretcher and taken to a hospital.
You taser a 91 year old and tell him to relax ? Wtf did I just watch omg
— EaRnEsT (@ToneToneForever) December 23, 2016
The man’s family, which does not want to be identified, said handcuffs applied by deputies broke his wrist. They also believe the incident affected the health of his heart and contributed to his death two months later.
Can’t handle a 91 year old Alzheimer’s patient without tasering him? Maybe being a cop just isn’t for you. https://t.co/9ZCs7IOsz2
— Cledus Snow (@Cold_Silos) December 23, 2016
According to KWCH, the Ottawa County Sheriff said he was wary of speaking on camera before he knows the investigation into the incident is complete.
The nursing home facility has updated its policies for situations in which residents become animated, KWCH reported.
Niamh Harris