Mark Backlund, 29, of Fridley had just crashed his minivan on I-694 in the northern Minneapolis suburb of New Brighton. Video from a squad car dashcam shows state troopers approaching Backlund's minivan to see if he's OK. In the video troopers are leaning into the car and asking Backlund, "You all right? Are you a diabetic? Are you a diabetic?" State patrol spokesman Lt. Mark Peterson said the trooper asked Backlund if he was diabetic because Backlund appeared impaired. Peterson said Backlund punched one of the deputies right before he was shocked by the Taser, just as authorities and witnesses say he did Moments later video from a Taser-mounted camera shows Backlund inside his car reaching towards the ignition as if he was trying to leave the scene. A second Taser not equipped with a camera was deployed, but Sgt. Jason Bartell, a State Patrol force instructor, said the connection was bad and it had no effect on Backlund. "What's running through their minds is that there are witnesses in front of the vehicle, it's approximately (5 p.m. during) rush hour," Peterson said, explaining that the troopers were trying to prevent Backlund from driving away. Seconds later, a Taser is used a second time -- again with a bad connection -- as Backlund comes out of the van's right sliding door. He tumbles onto the ground as the troopers try to restrain him. Laying on his stomach, the video shows Backlund struggling and screaming as the troopers try to handcuff him. Finally, the troopers used a Taser in "drive stun" mode, holding it against Backlund's thigh for 5 seconds without firing the projectiles. Peterson said troopers used a Taser on Backlund a total of three times. Troopers were able to handcuff him that way, but Backlund was waving his arms and legs both before and after he was drive stunned, Bartell said. Nine minutes after the incident began and after paramedics gave him a sedative, Backlund was not responsive. He was later pronounced dead at a local hospital. An autopsy released last month said Backlund had cocaine in his system as well as several prescription drugs. The Ramsey County Attorney's office cleared the troopers of any misconduct after reviewing an outside investigation by the state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. Mark Backlund's father cautioned viewers not to take the videotape at face value. "Its extremely difficult to watch the last minutes of your son's life. Things are not always as they appear," he said. At the news conference, Peterson offered condolences to Backlund's family, saying it was "an extremely difficult situation no matter what the circumstances." Peterson said the State Patrol hasn't changed its policy for using Tasers after the incident, but he said the policy is examined and re-evaluated on a regular basis.
This isn't the first incident I read about someone being killed by taser happy pigs.
Shiit, they been killing us black men and nobody raising questions. I think the pigs are the real criminals and folks need to have weapons to protect them selves from these modern nazi pigs,because we are in a police state.
No comments:
Post a Comment