British police officers have fired taser guns hundreds of times at peopleâ„¢s chests despite warnings by the weapons manufacturer that the act can cause cardiac arrest.
Figures obtained from 18 out of 45 police forces reveal that out of a total 884 Taser firing incidents since 2009, when the manufacturer Taser International began warning the weaponâ„¢s users not to aim for the chest, 518 (57 percent) have struck the chest area.
This comes as a man dies last week in Manchester after police officers hit him with a Taser gun.
US cardiologist and professor at Indiana University, Douglas Zipes, published a study in 2012 that highlights the dangers of tasering the chest.
“My admonition [to UK police] would be avoid the chest at all costs if you can,” he told the Guardian.
Zipes added that there is overwhelming evidence that suggests Å“a Taser shot to the chest can produce cardiac arrest.”
The Taser gunâ„¢s manufacturer states clearly that “wWhen possible, avoid targeting the frontal chest area near the heart to reduce the risk of potential serious injury or death.”
BGH/AMR/HE
Republished with permission from: Press TV