Taser Tragedy
Video: on Oct. 14. The 40-year-old Polish man who had never ridden on an airplane before and was flying to meet his mother in Vancouver, Canada. He spoke no English or French and had been waiting for 10 hours at the airport for his mom to pick him up. She had been unable to locate him there and was told that he had not arrived. So she left. As the man became agitated and started throwing things, a fellow passenger turned on his video camera and rolled for several minutes.
What Paul Pritchard revealed today in is insight into an airport tragedy that never should have happened. It calls into question many things, including use of tasers by police as a first option, and also the lack of medical awareness and care that may have helped to save this poor man's life. One can only imagine how his elderly mother, who is now in seclusion, must be feeling. Her son's funeral is scheduled for Saturday. What will follow is a series of investigations and serious questions about taser policy just north of our border thanks to this amateur videographer who fought to get his tape back from the police and then made it public.
In an age where people take video for money or adulation, this stands out as unique: a citizen sincerely trying to shed light on an important issue. Check out our interview and Pritchard's poignant apology to the victim's mother on behalf of all of Canada.