Michigan Teen Dies From Police Tasering

Aunt Says 15-Year-Old Was Cuffed At Time; Cops Dispute, Say He Tried To Attack

(CBS/AP)  Bay City police say a 15-year-old has died after being Tasered by officers who were trying to break up a fight.

CBS News affiliate WNEM-TV5 said police had identified the teen as Brett Elder.

A police news release says officers answered a report of a fight about 3:40 a.m. Sunday. The statement says two males were arguing in an apartment, and one of them "attempted to fight the officers."

Police say police Tasered him, and his reaction led them to immediately call for emergency medical help. He was pronounced dead at Bay Regional Medical Center.

"He was flopping around and looked like a fish out of water," Elder’s aunt Cindy Hernden told WNEM. "That’s the only way to explain it - his whole body was bent over."

Hernden did admit to the TV station that Elder had attempted to punch of the officers, but said the officer's use of a Taser was excessive as her nephew was already in handcuffs.

Deputy Chief Thomas Pletzke told TV5 however that Elder was not handcuffed when the Taser was fired.

Deputy Chief Thomas Pletzke said one officer had been put on administrative leave.

[seezero1]

I think injuries from a tasering can probably vary as much as those from other situations in which you can get shocked such as coming in contact with a live wire.

[problem09]

Alot of people on here seem to think that this is a common occurance. Which it isn't. The amount of deaths from tasers is not high at all. If you would really look at those studies that you like to say that you read, you would find that yes people may have died from tasers. But the percentage is very low compared to the amount of times the taser has been used. I'm sure the police did not wish to kill anybody. I find it amazing that there are so many people who like to thnk that the police are out to kill people. I think that you have been watching to many movies and tv shows.

[mswolfestock]

So why was this 15 year old up and fighting at 3:45am on a Sunday, so the cops had to be called. Why don't they arrest this kid's egg donor and sperm donor for child abandonment. This kid would be alive if he had parents instead of egg and sperm donors. Don't blame the cops, blame the "parents" for Breeding without a Brain. I'm surprised this doesn't happen more often, given that there are so many Throw Away Kids just like this one. He'd only end up in jail in a couple of more years anyway.

[cepe10-2009]

sounds like law enforcement lying again...

[usanative1]

WHEN YOU CAN'T SUCCEED AT ANY THING ELSE YOU EITHER BECOME A COP OR YOU DRIVE A CAB.

[usanative1]

Poklice officers for the most part on any given department are young and just starting thier so called career.or they have been on the force so long they are so fat they can't climb stairs without stopping for a breather. The little ones are chicken s===t so they use a taser . The fat a--sed ones can't get there fast enough. They have to resort to extreme measures to get thier job done. The old days of trusting a police officer died off in the 50s. Now they either snitch on each other to gain favor with the snitches who have made it to siut and tie positions or they are dirty and create problems for the officers who are only trying to lie thier way to the top instead of stealing.

[glidescube]

If cops want a full scale war I hope the realize they will lose

[dixxson]

What happened is they failed to take into account the intelligence Level of the individuals that would be wielding this device!
Remember they just Lowered the Testing Standards numerous times recently
for the Military and Police!
Of course the whole concept that Tasers are safe in the first place is clinically unsupported, Barbaric and Criminally Insane".

[dixxson]

This makes the Boys in The (Dunce Caps & Sheets) Job easy" irrelevant, unnecessary!
The BTK Torturer Murdered Laid Dormant for 13 yrs, after landing a job as town constable.
He was Placated by the peoples he was able to "Victimize" from his Position!
The American Dunce Caps & Sheets are Happy to enjoy the Cops doing their Job" for them!

[DoubleHappiness88]

COPS: Crooks in uniform.

Yes, I will call a Hippy, if I need help. Never trust a cop!