Taser makers say don’t aim at chest

The maker of Taser stun guns has advised law enforcement agencies to avoid hitting suspects in the chest, partly “to minimize controversy.”

“Taser has long stood by the fact that our technology is not risk free and is often used during violent and dangerous confrontations,” Taser International spokesman Steve Tuttle said in a memo referring to an October 12 training bulletin.

“The issuing of a preferred target zone is a prime example of training advice based on best practices and field results to minimize controversy, increase effectiveness and provide enhanced risk management,” he said.

A Taser is a weapon that either fires electrified darts or can be pressed directly against a person to stun and immobilize them. The devices with cartridges deploy two probes that may or may not go into the skin, according to the company.

Sudden cardiac arrest, a leading cause of death in the United States, often occurs in the midst of an arrest, Taser International said in the bulletin. If a stun gun is discharged to the chest, a lawsuit likely will follow, charging that police used excessive force, the document said.

Plaintiffs could charge that the electronic control device caused an arrhythmia, or a disruption of the heart’s rhythmic beating, the advisory said.

The company advises aiming a Taser at a person’s back, pelvic muscles or thigh.

Source/Full Story: CNN.com
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