Comments on: Video Raises Questions About Taser Death

Polish Immigrant Stunned At Vancouver Airport By 4 Mounties; Couldn't Speak English

[weronika-2009]

You arrive in a country whose language you do not speak. You find yourself in a large airport with no signs in your language and no help to be found. Airports are frustrating places. Maybe Mr. Dziekanski took his frustration out on property. Maybe you wouldn%u2019t, but imagine that you do. Also imagine that this draws attention to yourself and strangers try to communicate with you to help you but you don%u2019t understand their intentions. Because you%u2019re already pissed off you want them to mind their own business so you tell them to leave you alone. They don%u2019t. Now you are both stuck and harassed. You see the police so you call to them. They arrive so you begin angrily to explain your situation and they taser right away, with no warning. You try to escape. You die in complete disbelief, outrage, and fear. How very sad and unfortunate.

Obviously I am not Mr. Dziekanski so I don''t know what he thought and how he interpreted this situation. Moreover, because I was not there I do not know what happened. Arguably, however, Mr. Dziekanski felt threatened and harassed because he yelled for people to get away from him and that he would have them charged. Most importantly and most contentiously because he called to the police he wanted their help and was not a threat to them. The police did not have any of this information but acted too quickly and drastically.

[weronika-2009]

Why does every news outlet fail to provide a translation of what Mr. Dziekanski is saying? What he is saying provides context into his behavior. What happened was a terrible misunderstanding.

Mr. Dziekanski is in the secure area for many hours. At some point his actions attract the attention of security and people waiting outside. The video begins here. Here is some possible insight that I can provide since I speak Polish and understand what he is saying at various points in time (this could have easily been provided if news services and agencies were less apathetic):

At 00:27 he is holding the little table and standing inbetween the doors. He swears and says "I will charge you and everyone" to the woman that is speaking to him and the other people probably because they are not minding their own business and because he is agitated.

At 00:36 he is saying "Get away from me" to multiple people (from the verb tense).

Prior to the point that he police enter the room and taser him, as evident from another clip (CTV), he yells "Police, police!" when the police arrive in a tone that reveals that he is yelling for help.

The police enter the secure area and he is yelling, probably explaining to them what has happened or what he wants them to do. They quickly taser him probably because they thought he was going to argue with them or not cooperate when really he was trying to get THEM to help HIM.

This is my interpretation. Take it with a grain of salt.

[michaelt302]

One person here asked "What did cops do before they got tasers?" You really have to ask? OK, I''ll tell you: they pulled out their nightsticks and beat and beat and beat on people until the person gave up. They would beat the holy sh*t out of suspects. Do you not all remember all the violent videos of cops whacking people, such as Rodney King? Problem is, around the early 90''s, it starting to seem each time a cop did that someone was taking video of it. And, nothing makes a cop look worse than a video of him beating someone with a club, even if the person deserved it. The cops then needed something that was more "peaceful", something more subtle, more high-tech, and more hands-free. Along came the taser. You see, cops don''t really want to kill the suspects. That''s lose-lose, and cops tend to get disciplined or fired if they shoot someone. And, video on TV of a nightstick beat-down is not good for the career either. Tasers solved a lot of that. Now, they can control a resistor, not kill them, and not much to show on TV either. Liberals fail to realize that being a cop sucks. They rarely have a clear choice of good vs. bad. It''s usually between bad and worse, and that is where the taser comes in.

[andor3]

it''s really odd when cops try to claim that a person in an airport might be armed? Dont they trust the security screening (hmmmm)? Or do they fear 3 ounces of shampoo?

This seems to be a pattern--multiple armed officers approach a person known to be unarmed but agitated and escalate the situation then someone dies. It is usually not one of the officers.

[fibonacci_]

Pretty sad. Not sure the police are totally at fault, but I think they should go back to more traditional methods like tackling a guy like that. Not that I personally would have much fun tackling a crazy guy. Guess its easier said than done.

[brianbwb-2009]

Did these airport police get their training in the US? Seems like it...

[alancb2832]

WOW, THAT IS THE DEFINITION OF A POWER TRIP. I''M SPEACHLESS.

[thepodler]

I bet that if the same happened in a Moscow airport, the media would throw a fit, accusing Russia of trampling on human rights.

[displeased]

I supported the cop''s actions in the Phoenix incident but the death of this poor Polish person is definitely uncalled for. There was no reason for them to attack this man. It''s ashame airport personnel are so freakin paranoid!

[mwp500]

I hope that those so called cops sleep well for murdering that man, in the old days one cop could sort things out, but not now, these gun toting cowboys would do well to be put on the front line in Afganistan, and see how brave they realy are, they are a lieing pack of fools and should be fired and tried for murder.