Police use stun gun on 6-year-old

Officials: Child was cutting himself with glass

Friday, November 12, 2004 Posted: 8:25 AM EST (1325 GMT)

MIAMI, Florida (AP) -- Police used a stun gun on a 6-year-old boy in his principal's office because he was wielding a piece of glass and threatening to hurt himself, officials said Thursday.

The boy, who was not identified, was shocked with 50,000 volts on October 20 at Kelsey Pharr Elementary School.

Principal Maria Mason called 911 after the child broke a picture frame in her office and waved a piece of glass, holding a security guard back.

When two Miami-Dade County police officers and a school officer arrived, the boy had already cut himself under his eye and on his hand.

The officers talked to the boy without success. When the boy cut his own leg, one officer shocked him with a Taser and another grabbed him to prevent him from falling, police said.

He was treated and taken to a hospital, where he was committed for psychiatric evaluation.

"By using the Taser, we were able to stop the situation, stop him from hurting himself," police spokesman Juan DelCastillo told The Miami Herald.

The case was under review.

CNN.com-November 12, 2004

:eek: :eek: :eek: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Well I don't know what to think about that. What should they have done, let him cut himself again? At least a stun doesn't cause permanent damage...

Originally posted by Dutabi84
Well I don't know what to think about that. What should they have done, let him cut himself again? At least a stun doesn't cause permanent damage...
my thoughts as well.

It's sad that he already has problems and he is only 7.

Originally posted by skyhigh25789
It's sad that he already has problems and he is only 7. Yeah, it is :(

Originally posted by skyhigh25789
It's sad that he already has problems and he is only 7.

Very sad. I feel bad for the kid.

:eek:

Originally posted by Dutabi84
Well I don't know what to think about that. What should they have done, let him cut himself again? At least a stun doesn't cause permanent damage... I agree.

Originally posted by skyhigh25789
It's sad that he already has problems and he is only 7. He's six. Sigh. Poor kid. :(

At least the media told the truth in this case, so many times they
give incomplete stories causing people to think of the police as
the enemy rather than law enforcers.

Originally posted by Dutabi84
Well I don't know what to think about that. What should they have done, let him cut himself again? At least a stun doesn't cause permanent damage...

Yea, that's where my thoughts are at also. I think this whole thing is really sad, and it upsets me that they had to resort to a stun gun, but in all reality, what other choice did they have? I mean, like you said they couldn't let the kid continue to cut himself, the kid wasn't listening, and if they tried to take it away from him manually the kid could cut one of the officers which is unsafe. So while it's upsetting, they didn't have many options and with one deep gash the kid could have died or been seriously seriously hurt.