Friday, February 22, 2008

Go Ahead and Taze me Bro


If at first you don't succeed ......



Officer shoots man after Taser fails to faze him
Brian Chasnoff: Express-News

Bander Mashery Alshery has never been the type to let a Taser bring him down.
On two occasions since October, Alshery has been Tasered three times by the same San Antonio police officer, Emanuel Keith — each time to little effect.

After the stun gun proved less than efficient for a third time Thursday morning, Keith pulled out his service weapon and fired, striking Alshery, who was brandishing a knife, multiple times in the upper chest and arm, police said.

Alshery, 28, was in critical condition Thursday evening at Brooke Army Medical Center. He was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, with bond set at $50,000.
Keith, a 12-year member of the San Antonio Police Department who also used a baton in trying to detain Alshery, was placed on administrative duty while police investigate the incident.
"It appears the officer followed SAPD policy in use of force," said police spokesman Sgt. Gabe Trevino, adding that Tasers "are just tools. Nothing's 100 percent."

Alshery in the past decade was accused of resisting arrest twice, evading arrest once and taunting another cop with a toy gun and a knife, according to police reports. And less-than-lethal weapons have proven less than effective on him.
Alshery has "previously been pepper-sprayed, bean-bagged and Tasered with no noticeable effects," a police report says.

Thursday's shooting occurred about 5 a.m. at a convenience store in the 2900 block of East Southcross Boulevard.

According to the report, officers were called about a person harassing customers. Officer Scott Ambrose, who was also involved in the October incident in which Alshery was Tasered twice, arrived first and detained Alshery, whom he recognized as a habitual knife-carrier. But Alshery broke free and fled. Ambrose ran after him, and Keith soon joined in the chase. Both officers ordered Alshery to stop, an SAPD news release says.

As Alshery continued to resist, Ambrose and Keith used batons to try to subdue him, "but those efforts were not effective," the release says. Keith then used his Taser, striking Alshery with the weapon's electrical probes.
"It had no effect," says the police report.

Alshery took off running again but stopped. With Ambrose about two feet behind him, Alshery turned around, raised a knife and moved toward the officer, the report says.
Fearing for his colleague's life, Keith fired multiple times, the release says.

Ambrose and Keith had confronted Alshery in October after police were called to a South Side apartment. Seven men were throwing items at the apartment in an attempt to ferret out Alshery, with whom they were upset, a police report says.

Upon realizing that Alshery was wanted on a warrant, Keith and another officer informed him he was under arrest. A prolonged tussle ensued. Alshery and an officer fell to the ground, and Keith used his Taser twice to no effect, the report says.

Alshery finally was detained in that incident after Keith tackled him at the ankles and another officer dug her knees into his back.