Taser vs Firearm

[corporal716]

My question is why would anyone want to try and use a taser on a guy weilding a gun? I know your not trained to do that but could the heat of the moment cause you to reach for the wrong weapon?
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I believe Sacremento S/O had something like that happen a couple of years ago, but it was the other way around. The Deputy thought he was pulling his taser, but ended up firing his weapon.

[Legoate]

Um...no, it wasn't a Sacramento deputy...I'll leave the agency unnamed, but lets just say my agency no longer allows you to carry a taser in one hand, and your firearm in the other at the same time. I think they are overreacting personally, it was just a small .40 cal flesh wound to the buttocks.

[Deputy757]

I hope that it was a mistake made due to excitement/adrenaline rush and not because the FTO thought it would make for good training on the TASER. The others are 100% correct...you don't draw a TASER when your opponent is wielding a gun!
BTW, anyone else see this story about an San Jose, CA officer using a TASER with little or no effect?
TASER fails

[Ragnarok]

That article doesn't give any reason why it failed. It could have been defective, or mis-fired. I have not heard of a Taser simply having no effect.

Maybe he should've complied with the officer? He his described as peaceful by those who knew him. Heh, heh. I wonder if this was before or after he smashed the windows on a patrol car? Or hurling a chair at and then attacking the officer.

The other's are right. The officer didn't have to shoot him. The subject also didn't have to hurl a chair at the officer.

[Deputy757]

That article doesn't give any reason why it failed. It could have been defective, or mis-fired. I have not heard of a Taser simply having no effect.

Very true. Poor choice of words for the hyperlink title on my part. No offense to TASER intended!

[Legoate]

It could be as simple as one of the darts missing the suspect...If you only hit them with one dart, it has no effect. It is not uncommon for one dart to miss, especially in the heat of a fight. It is uncommon for a properly darted subject not to go down like a sack of flour after being hit.