Former footballer Dalian Atkinson has died after being shot with a Taser by police at his father’s house.
The taser was deployed at about 01:30 BST in Telford, Shropshire after officers were called to a report of concern for a man’s safety. A neighbour witnessed the former Aston Villa star Dalian Atkinson, 48, being Tasered after “stumbling towards” the police. Dalian Atkinson played in England for Ipswich town, Sheffield Wednesday , Aston Villa and Manchester City and has also played dor teams abroad, including Spain for Real Soicedad in France for Metz, in Turkey for Fenerbahce in Saudi Arabia for Allitihad, and in South Korea for Daejeon Citizen.
Tasers are electroshock weapons that fire two small dart like electrodes which deliver electric current to disrupt voluntary control of muscles called ‘neuromuscular incapacitation. . Someone struck by a taser experiences over stimulation of the sensory nerves and motor nerves, resulting in strong involuntary muscles contractions.
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Their introduction was for the purpose of aiding police subdue belligerent, or violent persons. His nephew, Fabian Atkinson, told the BBC that Dalian Atkinson had a weaker heart because his uncle was having dialysis treatment for kidney problems . He stated that as soon as police deploy a taser , they need to ”deploy an ambulance as soon as”. It should be mandatory, he said.
”Because how do they know, unnaturally putting volts through a body, how do they know they are going to survive that, eventually in the long run that they are not going to need any medical attention”?
A neighbor who witnessed the incident said Atkinson seemed a bit drunk and defied orders not to move by continuously stepping forward, but stressed that he was not acting violent.
Paul Quinn, who lives in the first floor told the Shropshire Star that he had witnessed the taser being fired after she heard shouting. ”I stuck my head out of the window to look out and I saw two police officers shouting at the gentleman, sort of stumbling towards them and the police officers warned him they would taser him, but he just seemed a bit, perhaps inebriated”.
And because he continued to step forward once or twice-none threatening, they deployed the the Taser”, she said. ”As the taser hit him in the stomach he just went down like a lead balloon”, she said.
Tasers are generally not fatal, but are potentially dangerous as has been evidenced today.
News of Atkinson’s death has left many fans shocked .A number of social media users have shared his memorable goal that won the first Match of the Day goal of the season.
The iconic strike against Wimbledon became one of the most memorable moments of the premiere league, and was crowned the best goal of the season by the BBC football highlights show.
Paramedics said he went into cardiac arrest on his way to hospital. The death has been referred to the police watchdog, the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC).
His nephew, Fabian Atkinson, said his uncle was having dialysis treatment for kidney problems: “And obviously that’s inevitably why his heart was weaker.
“They need to, as soon as they deploy a Taser, they need to deploy an ambulance. As soon as, it should be mandatory.
“Because, how do they know, unnaturally putting volts through a body, how do they know they’re going to survive that, eventually, in the long run, that they’re not going to need any medical attention?”
There may be lessons for the police here with respect the argument that an ambulance should be deployed, though the greater lesson is that when police instruct for a person not to move, obedience should be mandatory. Being drunk cannot be a good excuse since it is the duty of he who drinks to drink responsibly and ensure they can handle the quantities of alcohol they consume.
