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TEDD RIGGS

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Member Since: 9/2007

Police use Taser in arresting autistic man

News Type: Event — Seeded on Sat May 17, 2008 12:25 PM EDT
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James City County police officers used a Taser gun on a 24-year-old autistic Williamsburg man Thursday after police said he became unruly with employees at Wilson's Leather at the Prime Outlets-Williamsburg shopping mall.

Police responded to the store on Richmond Road around 2 p.m. after employees reported that the man had become argumentative during a dispute over a returned item, according to police spokesman Mike Spearman.

The man, whom Spearman called "large in stature," became combative with police and refused to leave the store. Officers incapacitated him with a single shot from the Taser, placed him under arrest and charged him with trespassing and resisting arrest, both Class 1 misdemeanors.

Police only learned the man suffered from Asperger's syndrome, a mild form of autism, after he had been placed under arrest, Spearman said.

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{"commentId":1812606,"authorDomain":"TeddRi"}
Tedd Riggs
Police only learned the man suffered from Asperger's syndrome, a mild form of autism, after he had been placed under arrest, Spearman said. Thursday's incident marked the 15th time James City police officers had used a taser in the line of duty since the department began using them last year.

Yet they cannot handle a 24 yr old with two officers and they could not even run a ID check on the person that would tell them very fast what the problem was ?

This is one very poor excuse for the use of a deadly weapon, especially a person that is most likely also on medication.

{"commentId":1812606,"threadId":"265821","contentId":"1495364","authorDomain":"TeddRi"}
  • 2 votes
Reply#1 - Sat May 17, 2008 12:30 PM EDT
{"commentId":1812754,"authorDomain":"nattyreb"}
Cheryl Johnson

Thanks for this article, Tedd, I agree that the use of this deadly weapon was unwarranted. I wonder if the young man even knew what a Taser is, if they took the time to threaten him with it before using it, that is. This is scary. If this young man had been killed, I wonder how inflated the story would have become in order to justify his death. I'm glad he survived this episode.

{"commentId":1812754,"threadId":"265821","contentId":"1495364","authorDomain":"nattyreb"}
  • 2 votes
#1.1 - Sat May 17, 2008 1:25 PM EDT
{"commentId":1812812,"authorDomain":"TeddRi"}
Tedd Riggs

I hope you don't mind me leaving it on your column, but this is about the 6th time I have seen a taser used on a person with a mental illness and its sad to see. I am also glad, I just wish they could use a bit more talk therapy then reach for the taser so fast.

{"commentId":1812812,"threadId":"265821","contentId":"1495364","authorDomain":"TeddRi"}
  • 2 votes
#1.2 - Sat May 17, 2008 1:45 PM EDT
{"commentId":1812837,"authorDomain":"nattyreb"}
Cheryl Johnson

No, Tedd, I don't mind at all, in fact I appreciate it! If it was necessary to physically restrain him it would be so much better if they would just grab somebody rather than beating them up or tasering them, there was more than one officer there after all.

{"commentId":1812837,"threadId":"265821","contentId":"1495364","authorDomain":"nattyreb"}
  • 2 votes
#1.3 - Sat May 17, 2008 1:52 PM EDT
{"commentId":1812936,"authorDomain":"TeddRi"}
Tedd Riggs

See my big concern is what has happened just in the last two days !

Taser used as substitute for talking, inquiry hears

Taser head a born salesman who needs dose of compassion

So its very fresh in my mind, and Monday, I go met Wil, the young 12 year old Autistic boy I have the article on. So its very much on my mind.

{"commentId":1812936,"threadId":"265821","contentId":"1495364","authorDomain":"TeddRi"}
  • 2 votes
#1.4 - Sat May 17, 2008 2:34 PM EDT
{"commentId":1813230,"authorDomain":"SirThinkswaytomuch"}
Sir. Thinkswaytomuch
So its very fresh in my mind, and Monday, I go met Wil, the young 12 year old Autistic boy I have the article on. So its very much on my mind.

You managed to get a meeting with him?

{"commentId":1813230,"threadId":"265821","contentId":"1495364","authorDomain":"SirThinkswaytomuch"}
  • 1 vote
#1.5 - Sat May 17, 2008 4:50 PM EDT
{"commentId":1813256,"authorDomain":"TeddRi"}
Tedd Riggs

A meeting, A gift of one of his favorite cut-outs for his "new friend", a invite to meet his parents, a lunch date with grandmother,.....yeah....lots more

{"commentId":1813256,"threadId":"265821","contentId":"1495364","authorDomain":"TeddRi"}
  • 2 votes
#1.6 - Sat May 17, 2008 4:58 PM EDT
{"commentId":1813332,"authorDomain":"winsomecowboy"}
winsomecowboy

Tedd. Score!

Have fun and insure the cutout. :)

{"commentId":1813332,"threadId":"265821","contentId":"1495364","authorDomain":"winsomecowboy"}
  • 2 votes
#1.7 - Sat May 17, 2008 5:26 PM EDT
{"commentId":1813531,"authorDomain":"SirThinkswaytomuch"}
Sir. Thinkswaytomuch

Jeeze Tedd, some people have all the luck.

{"commentId":1813531,"threadId":"265821","contentId":"1495364","authorDomain":"SirThinkswaytomuch"}
  • 1 vote
#1.8 - Sat May 17, 2008 6:49 PM EDT
{"commentId":1813586,"authorDomain":"TeddRi"}
Tedd Riggs
Have fun and insure the cutout. :)

Thanks winsome !

I get one of his favorite (he is not going to tell me, its a surprise) then I get to pick one, then the Grandmother is framing both of them ! That is pretty darn nice of them... They have a few exhibits coming up in the area and I am going to give them a hand at those, so that should be fun also. Two new articles in the works plus a few pictures. Hopeful Wil doesn't drop my camera...he wants to take some also.....

{"commentId":1813586,"threadId":"265821","contentId":"1495364","authorDomain":"TeddRi"}
  • 2 votes
#1.9 - Sat May 17, 2008 7:12 PM EDT
Reply
{"commentId":1812637,"authorDomain":"Wheel"}
Wheel

I've shopped at that outlet mall before, it's man heaven. They have a Case Knife outlet there, a first rate Harley Davidson gear outlet, a De Walt tool outlet, 2 book stores and a couple of other goods ones that I can't recall right now. They've also got some stuff that women like. That area is very touristy and the police are thick as flies all up and down that stretch of road from William and Mary college up to the Williamsburg city limits.

I hate that this happened, but I'm very glad it wasn't worse than this.

{"commentId":1812637,"threadId":"265821","contentId":"1495364","authorDomain":"Wheel"}
  • 2 votes
Reply#2 - Sat May 17, 2008 12:41 PM EDT
{"commentId":1812651,"authorDomain":"TeddRi"}
Tedd Riggs

Good old Prime Outlets right ?

I think I might know this place then as when I was down in WB last time, I went to a place that did have a Case outlet and a Harley store..Yeah Williamsburg is all tourists.....It wasn't so bad in the 70's but last 10 years..whoa...

Feel bad for the kid...

{"commentId":1812651,"threadId":"265821","contentId":"1495364","authorDomain":"TeddRi"}
  • 2 votes
#2.1 - Sat May 17, 2008 12:48 PM EDT
{"commentId":1812804,"authorDomain":"Wheel"}
Wheel

I was working on a new drug store right down the road about 6 miles from that outlet, right across from the W&M campus summer before last, it was a madhouse day and night.

{"commentId":1812804,"threadId":"265821","contentId":"1495364","authorDomain":"Wheel"}
  • 1 vote
#2.2 - Sat May 17, 2008 1:43 PM EDT
Reply
{"commentId":1812943,"authorDomain":"caroaber"}
caroaber

There's no excuse for this. But they didn't know...

Clipped to the The Thin Blue Line and to Children of Autism.

{"commentId":1812943,"threadId":"265821","contentId":"1495364","authorDomain":"caroaber"}
  • 1 vote
Reply#3 - Sat May 17, 2008 2:36 PM EDT
{"commentId":1812991,"authorDomain":"TeddRi"}
Tedd Riggs

Agree on both cases. Some autism you just cannot tell, and boy....can they be a handful..

Thanks for clipping that, I was hopping you would see this one.

{"commentId":1812991,"threadId":"265821","contentId":"1495364","authorDomain":"TeddRi"}
  • 1 vote
#3.1 - Sat May 17, 2008 3:00 PM EDT
Reply
{"commentId":1813260,"authorDomain":"alphadog"}
Alpha Dog

Agree with all comments, especially caroaber. Tasering has gotten out of hand. On the other hand, even though the victim was outnumbered, if things get out of hand too quickly, what were the cops to do ... even if it was routine procedure, maybe they had to subdue this guy before they could do an identity check. And maybe subduing him by "normal means" was not feasible.

Just trying to see it from both sides. Seems to me that a taser beats gunshots (at least in most cases). How about extensive and ongoing taser use training?

{"commentId":1813260,"threadId":"265821","contentId":"1495364","authorDomain":"alphadog"}
  • 1 vote
Reply#4 - Sat May 17, 2008 5:00 PM EDT
{"commentId":1813595,"authorDomain":"TeddRi"}
Tedd Riggs

The problem I hear over and over is budget cuts, only a handful of the officers are getting the training. For the most part, they are asking for it, as its a new device and they want training. But what happens is a select few go to the vendor, get trained and then retrain others. That is not as good as direct training.

{"commentId":1813595,"threadId":"265821","contentId":"1495364","authorDomain":"TeddRi"}
  • 2 votes
#4.1 - Sat May 17, 2008 7:15 PM EDT
Reply
{"commentId":1813502,"authorDomain":"kek"}
Kyle Kennedy

Obviously we don't know the whole story, but I am guessing crappy customer service was a contributing factor. I don't have any diagnosed mental or emotional disorder and the people in some of these retail stores drive me to the edge of insanity. If they would treat everyone with dignity and respect, even if the customer is wrong, the world would be a better place. Sometimes it seems like they think the customers are there to serve them and not the other way around.

{"commentId":1813502,"threadId":"265821","contentId":"1495364","authorDomain":"kek"}
  • 5 votes
Reply#5 - Sat May 17, 2008 6:39 PM EDT
{"commentId":1813606,"authorDomain":"TeddRi"}
Tedd Riggs

That store that he was in and that mall I have been to many times and it is always crowded as that area is a huge tourist trap and the service is not exactly the worlds best. I have had a hard time dealing with people there.

{"commentId":1813606,"threadId":"265821","contentId":"1495364","authorDomain":"TeddRi"}
  • 4 votes
#5.1 - Sat May 17, 2008 7:18 PM EDT
Reply
{"commentId":1814003,"authorDomain":"pixiequix"}
pixiequix

Thanks for seeding this article Tedd. The use of tasers is already out of control, and it's simply infuriating to see how often this out of control tasering is happening to people with mental and emotional issues.

Clipped to Rightsvine.

{"commentId":1814003,"threadId":"265821","contentId":"1495364","authorDomain":"pixiequix"}
  • 4 votes
Reply#6 - Sat May 17, 2008 10:28 PM EDT
{"commentId":1814060,"authorDomain":"TeddRi"}
Tedd Riggs

Sadly it happens al the time and its increasing more and more each dayl

{"commentId":1814060,"threadId":"265821","contentId":"1495364","authorDomain":"TeddRi"}
  • 3 votes
#6.1 - Sat May 17, 2008 10:51 PM EDT
Reply
{"commentId":1831479,"authorDomain":"ultimategfx"}
Mike B

I have removed this from the uk-news group because it is nothing to do with the United Kingdom.

{"commentId":1831479,"threadId":"265821","contentId":"1495364","authorDomain":"ultimategfx"}
  • 3 votes
Reply#7 - Thu May 22, 2008 4:43 PM EDT
{"commentId":1831643,"authorDomain":"TeddRi"}
Tedd Riggs

Sorry Mike, I am not sure how that was clipped to the UK ?

{"commentId":1831643,"threadId":"265821","contentId":"1495364","authorDomain":"TeddRi"}
  • 2 votes
#7.1 - Thu May 22, 2008 5:24 PM EDT
Reply
{"commentId":6348042,"authorDomain":"Truth41stl"}
SB-1013770

Very sad to see james city police brutality against mentally ill w/ taser. ...personally assaulted by officer Drury recently..leaving new-town ..followed ...etc..cannot give details but wish to know of any ppl harassed by james city police ..gathering info to stop the aggrivated abusive authority in Williamsburg by police. Contact >>

{"commentId":6348042,"threadId":"265821","contentId":"1495364","authorDomain":"Truth41stl"}
    Reply#8 - Mon Apr 6, 2009 10:37 PM EDT
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