There's a huge buzz at the moment surrounding the 10 minutes of footage showing the final moments in the life of Polish traveller Robert Dziekanski, Tasered by the RCMP at the Vancouver Airport. This footage was shot by returning Vancouverite Paul Pritchard.
I'm writing about the taser incident at YVR. This subject has created a lot of conversation at home and work and I needed to get something off my chest.
Why is it that we choose to vilify our police at every opportunity possible? These men and women do a job that most Canadians don't want to do, nor could do. They put their lives in danger on a daily basis, deal with junkies, murderers, rapists, and the like. They are sworn at, spit on and physically assaulted. And to top it all off, they are rarely, if ever thanked.
Sharing the news with this YVR story are two separate stories of RCMP officers who have been killed on duty in the last month--showing the grim reality of the job. Contrary to popular belief, it is not a police officers job to take abuse, be assaulted or killed on the job. But it happens. Most of the time it is an event that happens in the blink of an eye. An officer has a split second to react to a situation that could result in his or her death. This is something that 90% of the public doesn't come close to dealing with. If the average Canadian doesn't react in time at work the worst thing that happens is missing the FedEx truck.
So I ask again, why is it that when police respond to a situation where a man is throwing computer parts and chairs INSIDE an international airport and react using the tools they are given and trained to use that we automatically jump on them and condemn them?
These officers used a tool designed for the exact situation in which it was used. The officers told the man to stop and get down. They were obviously police, yet Dziekanski walked away ignoring them. I have traveled the world. Airports are confusing when you are in a foreign country. No matter what, I'm on my best behavior. And no matter how frustrated, jet lagged or exhausted, it would take me 3 seconds to recognize a police officer in any country on this planet. As for the gesture to stop, it is the same no matter where you live or language you speak.
These officers used the taser to get this man to the ground. They used it so that they did not have to put their lives at risk. Yes, they could have used pepper spray, but this in an international airport with a in-coming flight. Imagine the panic and chaos caused when 300 people get off a plane into a cloud of pepper spray. Yes they could have physically taken him down. They out numbered him. But what is to say Dziekanski wasn't high, armed, or infected with HIV. These are the real risks of getting into a physical confrontation. I have seen officers try to take a person down by force. A person who was outnumbered, but who got the upper hand. Officers get shot with their own guns when over powered. Why is it OK for the officer's life to be put at risk when it doesn't have to be?
The taser is a non-lethal tool. On some occasions it does kill. This is unfortunate, but a reality. This event is an unfortunate accident, but an accident. Just because some tourist at an airport takes a video, doesn't make him an expert on police procedure, and that goes for the majority of people that I have seen on Canadian TV giving their two bits after watching this tape. This story has made it to a reputable US news station and guess what? They had a taser instructor (a real expert) saying the event is unfortunate but would be handled in much the same way as in the US, and that the police simply used a tool on their tool belt.
The police were called to an international airport to respond to a man who was throwing computers and chairs in a security zone; a man who ignored their gestures and commands to stop. These officers reacted in an appropriate manner with the safety of travelers and themselves in mind. But in a knee jerk reaction everyone condemns them.
My heart goes out to the mother of Robert Dziekanski, but it also goes out to the officers who did their job and used non-lethal force only to have a man die. I'm sure they are feeling horrible as a result of this incident... and even worse knowing the public they have chosen to protect has once again turned on them.
Submitted by duanebg on Thu, 2007-11-15 20:19.
Thank you, Duanebg
You make your points very well.
Submitted by John Burns on Thu, 2007-11-15 22:10.
Is being a police officer dangerous? Yes. Were police officers dropping like flies before the advent of the taser? No.
The police outnumbered him, had him surrounded, and were perfectly capable of restraining him without using a randomly lethal weapon. He was unarmed, had not attacked anybody, and was walking away from them when they tasered him. It was an unnecessary and cowardly act.
I have a friend who does security in a hospital. They deal with situations like this regularly without resorting to the use of randomly lethal weapons.
Submitted by Mike Cantelon on Fri, 2007-11-16 01:14.
As Mike correctly stated, this was a gutless act and as far as I'm concerned the cop who fired the taser should be charged with manslaughter, along with the three others who were accomplices to the fact. If four burly cops with flak jackets and several security guards can't take down a guy whose only weapons are chairs and pc hardware, then the safety and security of the public is in real danger.
I wonder if those who condone the officer's actions might feel differently if the victim was a friend or relative of theirs. I would certainly want to know why an interpretor couldn't be found in an international airport to assist with communicating to the man before "peace officers" resorted to zapping the life out of him with a 100,000 volt electrical charge.
Pepper spray could have been used as another alternative. If an in-coming flight with passengers was arriving shortly, it would have taken one phone call to have them routed elsewhere. At any rate, would the passengers be so concerned about the prospect of inhaling a bit of cayenne powder that they would have rather this man be physically assaulted with a potentially deadly weapon?
I can't imagine any member of the tax-paying public desiring this level of service and protection from someone merely throwing a major temper tantrum. Save the lethal weapons for the killers, gang members, pushers, home invaders, rapists and the rest of the scum that pervades our society.
Submitted by Wilde on Mon, 2007-11-19 04:42.
While I feel sympathy for Robert Dziekanski's relatives, clearly Mr. Dziekanski acted improperly, especially considering that he was in an airport and would be aware of recent upgraded security measures around the world if he reads the news.
It is possible that Mr. Dziekanski suffered a panic attack - evident from his heavy breathing and confusion.
It's courteous and advised to learn some basic words in the language of the country you are proposing to move to. It can make the difference between life and death. It once did for me!
People must respect and obey the laws of the country they are visiting or immigrating to.
The police did what was expected of them and they did the right thing. It is unfortunate Mr. Dziekanski died but what if he had been a true threat to the country and lives of all those at the airport. Often the last people to learn that a person is a serial killer or thief are those closest to them. If the public wants to be protected, then it must be... from all people who display such unusual behaviour as Mr. Dziekanski did. Despite what a great guy his relatives say he was, we cannot know for certain what was going through his mind at the time of that unfortunate event. It looked as though he was in great fear and for no specific reason. We do not know what the state of health care is in his country of origin but it is possible that some physical or psychological illness (diagnosed or not) that Mr. Dziekanski may have suffered from may be responsible for his behaviour.
Submitted by floodedsky on Mon, 2007-11-19 13:58.
You know, I think most people would agree that throwing furniture and keyboards (even PC keyboards) is not a good idea in protected areas.
But the consensus arising is - and bloody well should be - that there should be some entry-level type restraint (pepper spray, Bat nets, jujitsu) before you go the full lethal-Taser route.
Even for would-be serial killers, which clearly Dziekanski was not.
What intrigues me, though, is how knowing basics of a language saved your life. How did that work?
Submitted by John Burns on Mon, 2007-11-19 14:09.
They hunt him and kill like hi was a wild animal. He was just domestic cat hungry, frustrated and scared. They were acting like dogs not properly trained for the job. Responsibility on the leash holders
Submitted by Marian Zapasnik on Mon, 2007-11-19 16:40.
There was a lot of a talk in all kind of media about cop killers, not much about ordinary people unnecessary killed by cops. Because of this, we learn how many people are killed every year by police, that suppose to "serve and defend".
Submitted by Marian Zapasnik on Mon, 2007-11-19 16:54.
This murder should easily be avoided if the Airport staff responded to Zofia Cisowski diligently about her son being still held inside and made just minimum effort to connect them.
Anybody concerned about language problems? Come on. Hundreds of travellers who do not speak English enter Canadian airports daily. Majority of them make similar arrangements as Zofia Cisowski did with her son. She came to pick him up at the airport. This arrangement should easily solve any difficulties created by language barrier. However, when Zofia asked repeatedly Airport’s staff about her missing son, she was given false and very unreasonable answer that her son was not at the Airport. Come on. How on the Earth, the Airport staff could have any difficulty knowing that a person was still at the Airport. Obviously, they knew it. The flight arrived, and he was on the list of passengers. If he did not come out, it was obvious that he was still inside. Also, they held him for ten hours, so it must be a reason for it, and somebody from the Airport’s staff must have kept record of Mr. Dziekanski being held there. Somebody must have monitored the progress of clearing issues that prevented Mr. Dziekanski to be allowed to come out of the passengers’ arrival gate and to meet with his Mother.
Russian, Russian… guessing game. Was it really so difficult for Security to know that he spoke Polish? Really? Every passenger has travel documents. The Airport is the easiest place on the Earth to figure out which language a traveller speaks. Just ask about the documents and you will know it instantly. Have Security or Police asked him about the documents? Have they asked about his ID the Airport’s staff who called the Police to help them out? Obviously they must have known whom they kept inside the Airport and for what reason. It looks like the order of events was not logical. They took deadly action first, and asked a question whom they killed afterwards. Were Security or four Police officers willing to communicate with Mr. Dziekanski at all? A woman-bystander did, but they did not. They knew that he spoke one of the foreign languages, and in this case it did not matter Russian or any other. The point was that they were just satisfied that he did not speak English to take so dangerous action on him. The only way of communication was to send him a double dose of high voltage electrical current merely few seconds after their arrival, and subsequently to finish their action by depriving a dying man from a gasp of air. Then, no reanimation for next eight minutes. Hmmm… What training have four Police officers had that prevented them from knowing obvious: one really does not need paramedics’ help after such period of time of no pulse and no breathing.
Medical problems? Maybe, but Mr. Dziekanski immigrated legally to Canada, therefore he had to have thorough medical examination that satisfied Canadian Embassy in Poland. It was done by Canadian (not Polish) standards in medical facilities that are designated by Canadian Embassy in Poland. If Canadian authorities in Poland said that Mr. Dziekanski was suitable medically to live in Canada based on their own set of medical examinations, so it answers concerns one of the poster above who wrote about possible physical or mental problem that Mr. Dziekanski could have suffered. Even if any physical or mental problems were there (diagnosed or not diagnosed), it should not be a justification for killing this man. After all, we do not kill Canadians who suffer from mental or physical problems here.
Submitted by Joe on Mon, 2007-11-19 19:36.
Killing an unarmed man who hadn't attacked anyone was not, as you suggest, the right thing to do. Asking "what if" he was a serial killer or terrorist is not relevant. There was nothing to suggest he was either of these things.
Suggesting that those who "display such unusual behaviour" need to be killed to protect society is not reasonable.
Submitted by Mike Cantelon on Mon, 2007-11-19 19:53.
Please read these comments literally without reading your own feelings into them and without misinterpreting them or twisting the meaning. Mr. Dziekanski was misinterpreted - and you are angry about that. So don't do the same thing to people who take the time to make thoughtful comments.
There is absolutely no justification for killing Mr. Dziekanski. How could there be? It was an accident.
It is likely that Mr. Dziekanski suffered a panic attack which would render him incapable of functioning mentally. Some symptoms (in layman's terms) of a panic attack are an adrenalin rush, sweating profusely, hyperventilation, heart palpitations, and being unable to control oneself. All symptoms occur simultaneously and immediately.
On the other hand, a mental illness or psychiatric condition could easily slip under "the radar." Sometimes people are completely unaware that they have a psychiatric illness or condition.
It is not normal behaviour to throw furniture around an immigration office at an airport. This would be considered bizarre, unacceptable, and possibly dangerous behaviour at any airport, house, bar, movie theatre, wherever - literally anywhere in the world. Most people are aware that such behaviour will get them in trouble with the police.
As to your comment regarding language, it is common knowledge that learning a least a little of the language of a country you are going to is helpful, useful, necessary, and courteous to the citizens of that country. "I'm sorry. I do not speak English. I am Polish." may have been useful.
This unfortunate accident will hopefully be a wake-up call for the discontinuation of tasers which, obviously, is capable of killing humans.
These officers did not intend to kill Mr. Dziekanski. They did not kill him but the taser did. Obviously all tasers need to be recalled and withdrawn - they are dangerous.
Submitted by floodedsky on Tue, 2007-11-20 03:33.
Read my comments literally. I don't appreciate you giving my statements the kind of meaning that clearly does not exist in them. Where, exactly, in my comments, did I suggest that killing those who display unusual behaviour is okay? How dare you accuse me of making statements that come out directly from your own imagination! If you are so unwilling, or incapable, of understanding plain English - and so accusatory - it's no small wonder that there is so much miscommunication in this world. You would be the officer misinterpreting Mr. Dziekanski and pulling your taser out. If you're not part of the solution, you are the problem.
Submitted by floodedsky on Tue, 2007-11-20 03:48.
You said:
"The police did what was expected of them and they did the right thing." ... "If the public wants to be protected, then it must be... from all people who display such unusual behaviour as Mr. Dziekanski did."
Are you not, by these words, saying the police did the right thing in using a randomly lethal weapon on someone "displaying unusual behaviour"?
Submitted by Mike Cantelon on Tue, 2007-11-20 12:53.
Mr. Floodedsky, why are you sweating? What about taking your own comments and applying them to your misinterpretation/twisting the meaning of other people comments? They are very thoughtful as well. Two of them are just below the quote from your post. Thank you for your input, and have a great day.
“Please read these comments literally without reading your own feelings into them and without misinterpreting them or twisting the meaning. Mr. Dziekanski was misinterpreted - and you are angry about that. So don't do the same thing to people who take the time to make thoughtful comments.” ------------------------------
“Rick in BC wrote:
The problem isn’t the taser, it’s the power-hungry maniacs wearing the uniforms. We need to know what the RCMP will do to keep people out of the force like the two revealed here - the one using the taser and the one who approved it before even seeing the fellow.
Given that these incompetents have made it into the force somehow, then they deserve a greater penalty than would be received by the average citizen committing a similar crime - manslaughter in this case. That is because it is also a breach of the public trust, and ultimately that is even more serious than the death of one helpless individual. ------------------------------
Sylvia wrote:
I guess the following warning should be issued if this is “standard police procedures”:
If you or someone you know is traveling in the near future to a Canadian airport and you can’t speak English please be aware that if you require assistance chances are you will not be helped.
If you are held in the airport for 10 hours, this is not considered unusual. And if your loved one is trying to locate you in the airport, security will not be able to confirm your arrival.
But if you become agitated, frustrated and confused because you can’t communicate with anyone. The police might taser you, which may result in death.
Remember, don’t travel alone if you can’t speak English, this may result in your unfortunate death.”
"CJ wrote: I live in Vancouver and have personally spoken to two eyewitnesses to the Dziedzanski death, one at considerable length. Everything they related to me has been borne out by what I have now seen in the video. There are some facts that some commenters here seem unaware of.
First, Dziedzanski’s size. He was about 5 foot 10 or 11 and a rather pudgy 190 pounds or so. He looked middle-aged and was not strongly or athletically built. All four police were larger than he was.
Second, the amount of time he was in the airport. He was there for at least 10 hours after being processed through customs.
Third, the “response” to telephone calls from the public to airport security and 911. This is extremely important, because there are actually two scandals here, the police incompetence and the joke that is YVR airport security. He was shouting and raving and breaking up a chair and a computer keyboard for two hours in the international arrivals area before police arrived. Airport “security” were nowhere in sight until a minute or two before the arrival of the four police, who came from outside the airport in four police cars that parked in front of the terminal arrivals level. They in turn arrived at least 45 minutes after at least two calls had been made to Richmond 911.
Dziedzanski had been in the arrivals area where people wait to meet people coming from customs. It was 1:00 am and customs was closed. He got into a supposedly secure area when a limousine driver with a key inadvertantly let him in. That driver was one of the people who called airport security and 911.
People at the scene thought Dziedzanski was mentally ill, but did not feel physically threatened by him. This can be seen in the early part of the LiveLeak video where a woman attempts to talk to him.
After two hours of noisemaking watched by a couple of dozen limo and taxi drivers and airport passengers, Dziedzanski was dead within one minute of the arrival of the police.
The people I talked to who witnessed this outrage are conservative, law and order working stiffs. They were both horrified by the event and very critical of the police and of the airport. Both of them also thought that the cause of death might not have been the taser, but simply too much applied to Dziedzinski’s back and neck as they were trying to handcuff him."
"P. Hamilton wrote: I’m not sure why almost every article is stating a “taser death” regarding Mr. Dziekanski’s unforgiveable treatment by four pathetic RCMP. It would be very interesting to learn what the Coroner’s autopsy report states. Most humans I am associated with do not appear to be built “strong” enough to withstand a large cop’s knee applied to their neck and or head with what appeared to be distinctly a great deal of pressure. What a travesty!! Did it really have to take four substantial looking RCMP to commit such an unforgiveable crime?? We as human beings need to sincerely re-consider our actions and attitudes toward each other before we become more inhumane than we already are!! Mr. Dziekanski was only looking to find his Mother, and all those people that had any contact with him all the hours that he looked, there was not one that took the trouble to help him in any way."
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Why is it that we choose to vilify our police at every opportunity possible? These men and women do a job that most Canadians don't want to do, nor could do. They put their lives in danger on a daily basis, deal with junkies, murderers, rapists, and the like. They are sworn at, spit on and physically assaulted. And to top it all off, they are rarely, if ever thanked.
Sharing the news with this YVR story are two separate stories of RCMP officers who have been killed on duty in the last month--showing the grim reality of the job. Contrary to popular belief, it is not a police officers job to take abuse, be assaulted or killed on the job. But it happens. Most of the time it is an event that happens in the blink of an eye. An officer has a split second to react to a situation that could result in his or her death. This is something that 90% of the public doesn't come close to dealing with. If the average Canadian doesn't react in time at work the worst thing that happens is missing the FedEx truck.
So I ask again, why is it that when police respond to a situation where a man is throwing computer parts and chairs INSIDE an international airport and react using the tools they are given and trained to use that we automatically jump on them and condemn them?
These officers used a tool designed for the exact situation in which it was used. The officers told the man to stop and get down. They were obviously police, yet Dziekanski walked away ignoring them. I have traveled the world. Airports are confusing when you are in a foreign country. No matter what, I'm on my best behavior. And no matter how frustrated, jet lagged or exhausted, it would take me 3 seconds to recognize a police officer in any country on this planet. As for the gesture to stop, it is the same no matter where you live or language you speak.
These officers used the taser to get this man to the ground. They used it so that they did not have to put their lives at risk. Yes, they could have used pepper spray, but this in an international airport with a in-coming flight. Imagine the panic and chaos caused when 300 people get off a plane into a cloud of pepper spray. Yes they could have physically taken him down. They out numbered him. But what is to say Dziekanski wasn't high, armed, or infected with HIV. These are the real risks of getting into a physical confrontation. I have seen officers try to take a person down by force. A person who was outnumbered, but who got the upper hand. Officers get shot with their own guns when over powered. Why is it OK for the officer's life to be put at risk when it doesn't have to be?
The taser is a non-lethal tool. On some occasions it does kill. This is unfortunate, but a reality. This event is an unfortunate accident, but an accident. Just because some tourist at an airport takes a video, doesn't make him an expert on police procedure, and that goes for the majority of people that I have seen on Canadian TV giving their two bits after watching this tape. This story has made it to a reputable US news station and guess what? They had a taser instructor (a real expert) saying the event is unfortunate but would be handled in much the same way as in the US, and that the police simply used a tool on their tool belt.
The police were called to an international airport to respond to a man who was throwing computers and chairs in a security zone; a man who ignored their gestures and commands to stop. These officers reacted in an appropriate manner with the safety of travelers and themselves in mind. But in a knee jerk reaction everyone condemns them.
My heart goes out to the mother of Robert Dziekanski, but it also goes out to the officers who did their job and used non-lethal force only to have a man die. I'm sure they are feeling horrible as a result of this incident... and even worse knowing the public they have chosen to protect has once again turned on them.
You make your points very well.
The police outnumbered him, had him surrounded, and were perfectly capable of restraining him without using a randomly lethal weapon. He was unarmed, had not attacked anybody, and was walking away from them when they tasered him. It was an unnecessary and cowardly act.
I have a friend who does security in a hospital. They deal with situations like this regularly without resorting to the use of randomly lethal weapons.
I wonder if those who condone the officer's actions might feel differently if the victim was a friend or relative of theirs. I would certainly want to know why an interpretor couldn't be found in an international airport to assist with communicating to the man before "peace officers" resorted to zapping the life out of him with a 100,000 volt electrical charge.
Pepper spray could have been used as another alternative. If an in-coming flight with passengers was arriving shortly, it would have taken one phone call to have them routed elsewhere. At any rate, would the passengers be so concerned about the prospect of inhaling a bit of cayenne powder that they would have rather this man be physically assaulted with a potentially deadly weapon?
I can't imagine any member of the tax-paying public desiring this level of service and protection from someone merely throwing a major temper tantrum. Save the lethal weapons for the killers, gang members, pushers, home invaders, rapists and the rest of the scum that pervades our society.
It is possible that Mr. Dziekanski suffered a panic attack - evident from his heavy breathing and confusion.
It's courteous and advised to learn some basic words in the language of the country you are proposing to move to. It can make the difference between life and death. It once did for me!
People must respect and obey the laws of the country they are visiting or immigrating to.
The police did what was expected of them and they did the right thing. It is unfortunate Mr. Dziekanski died but what if he had been a true threat to the country and lives of all those at the airport. Often the last people to learn that a person is a serial killer or thief are those closest to them. If the public wants to be protected, then it must be... from all people who display such unusual behaviour as Mr. Dziekanski did. Despite what a great guy his relatives say he was, we cannot know for certain what was going through his mind at the time of that unfortunate event. It looked as though he was in great fear and for no specific reason. We do not know what the state of health care is in his country of origin but it is possible that some physical or psychological illness (diagnosed or not) that Mr. Dziekanski may have suffered from may be responsible for his behaviour.
But the consensus arising is - and bloody well should be - that there should be some entry-level type restraint (pepper spray, Bat nets, jujitsu) before you go the full lethal-Taser route.
Even for would-be serial killers, which clearly Dziekanski was not.
What intrigues me, though, is how knowing basics of a language saved your life. How did that work?
They were acting like dogs not properly trained for the job. Responsibility on the leash holders
Anybody concerned about language problems? Come on. Hundreds of travellers who do not speak English enter Canadian airports daily. Majority of them make similar arrangements as Zofia Cisowski did with her son. She came to pick him up at the airport. This arrangement should easily solve any difficulties created by language barrier. However, when Zofia asked repeatedly Airport’s staff about her missing son, she was given false and very unreasonable answer that her son was not at the Airport. Come on. How on the Earth, the Airport staff could have any difficulty knowing that a person was still at the Airport. Obviously, they knew it. The flight arrived, and he was on the list of passengers. If he did not come out, it was obvious that he was still inside. Also, they held him for ten hours, so it must be a reason for it, and somebody from the Airport’s staff must have kept record of Mr. Dziekanski being held there. Somebody must have monitored the progress of clearing issues that prevented Mr. Dziekanski to be allowed to come out of the passengers’ arrival gate and to meet with his Mother.
Russian, Russian… guessing game. Was it really so difficult for Security to know that he spoke Polish? Really? Every passenger has travel documents. The Airport is the easiest place on the Earth to figure out which language a traveller speaks. Just ask about the documents and you will know it instantly. Have Security or Police asked him about the documents? Have they asked about his ID the Airport’s staff who called the Police to help them out? Obviously they must have known whom they kept inside the Airport and for what reason. It looks like the order of events was not logical. They took deadly action first, and asked a question whom they killed afterwards. Were Security or four Police officers willing to communicate with Mr. Dziekanski at all? A woman-bystander did, but they did not. They knew that he spoke one of the foreign languages, and in this case it did not matter Russian or any other. The point was that they were just satisfied that he did not speak English to take so dangerous action on him. The only way of communication was to send him a double dose of high voltage electrical current merely few seconds after their arrival, and subsequently to finish their action by depriving a dying man from a gasp of air. Then, no reanimation for next eight minutes. Hmmm… What training have four Police officers had that prevented them from knowing obvious: one really does not need paramedics’ help after such period of time of no pulse and no breathing.
Medical problems? Maybe, but Mr. Dziekanski immigrated legally to Canada, therefore he had to have thorough medical examination that satisfied Canadian Embassy in Poland. It was done by Canadian (not Polish) standards in medical facilities that are designated by Canadian Embassy in Poland. If Canadian authorities in Poland said that Mr. Dziekanski was suitable medically to live in Canada based on their own set of medical examinations, so it answers concerns one of the poster above who wrote about possible physical or mental problem that Mr. Dziekanski could have suffered. Even if any physical or mental problems were there (diagnosed or not diagnosed), it should not be a justification for killing this man. After all, we do not kill Canadians who suffer from mental or physical problems here.
Suggesting that those who "display such unusual behaviour" need to be killed to protect society is not reasonable.
There is absolutely no justification for killing Mr. Dziekanski. How could there be? It was an accident.
It is likely that Mr. Dziekanski suffered a panic attack which would render him incapable of functioning mentally. Some symptoms (in layman's terms) of a panic attack are an adrenalin rush, sweating profusely, hyperventilation, heart palpitations, and being unable to control oneself. All symptoms occur simultaneously and immediately.
On the other hand, a mental illness or psychiatric condition could easily slip under "the radar." Sometimes people are completely unaware that they have a psychiatric illness or condition.
It is not normal behaviour to throw furniture around an immigration office at an airport. This would be considered bizarre, unacceptable, and possibly dangerous behaviour at any airport, house, bar, movie theatre, wherever - literally anywhere in the world. Most people are aware that such behaviour will get them in trouble with the police.
As to your comment regarding language, it is common knowledge that learning a least a little of the language of a country you are going to is helpful, useful, necessary, and courteous to the citizens of that country. "I'm sorry. I do not speak English. I am Polish." may have been useful.
This unfortunate accident will hopefully be a wake-up call for the discontinuation of tasers which, obviously, is capable of killing humans.
These officers did not intend to kill Mr. Dziekanski. They did not kill him but the taser did. Obviously all tasers need to be recalled and withdrawn - they are dangerous.
"The police did what was expected of them and they did the right thing." ... "If the public wants to be protected, then it must be... from all people who display such unusual behaviour as Mr. Dziekanski did."
Are you not, by these words, saying the police did the right thing in using a randomly lethal weapon on someone "displaying unusual behaviour"?
“Please read these comments literally without reading your own feelings into them and without misinterpreting them or twisting the meaning. Mr. Dziekanski was misinterpreted - and you are angry about that. So don't do the same thing to people who take the time to make thoughtful comments.”
------------------------------
“Rick in BC wrote:
The problem isn’t the taser, it’s the power-hungry maniacs wearing the uniforms. We need to know what the RCMP will do to keep people out of the force like the two revealed here - the one using the taser and the one who approved it before even seeing the fellow.
Given that these incompetents have made it into the force somehow, then they deserve a greater penalty than would be received by the average citizen committing a similar crime - manslaughter in this case. That is because it is also a breach of the public trust, and ultimately that is even more serious than the death of one helpless individual.
------------------------------
Sylvia wrote:
I guess the following warning should be issued if this is “standard police procedures”:
If you or someone you know is traveling in the near future to a Canadian airport and you can’t speak English please be aware that if you require assistance chances are you will not be helped.
If you are held in the airport for 10 hours, this is not considered unusual. And if your loved one is trying to locate you in the airport, security will not be able to confirm your arrival.
But if you become agitated, frustrated and confused because you can’t communicate with anyone. The police might taser you, which may result in death.
Remember, don’t travel alone if you can’t speak English, this may result in your unfortunate death.”
http://www.thepolitic.com/archives/2007/11/15/the-death-of-robert-dzieka...
"CJ wrote:
I live in Vancouver and have personally spoken to two eyewitnesses to the Dziedzanski death, one at considerable length. Everything they related to me has been borne out by what I have now seen in the video. There are some facts that some commenters here seem unaware of.
First, Dziedzanski’s size. He was about 5 foot 10 or 11 and a rather pudgy 190 pounds or so. He looked middle-aged and was not strongly or athletically built. All four police were larger than he was.
Second, the amount of time he was in the airport. He was there for at least 10 hours after being processed through customs.
Third, the “response” to telephone calls from the public to airport security and 911. This is extremely important, because there are actually two scandals here, the police incompetence and the joke that is YVR airport security. He was shouting and raving and breaking up a chair and a computer keyboard for two hours in the international arrivals area before police arrived. Airport “security” were nowhere in sight until a minute or two before the arrival of the four police, who came from outside the airport in four police cars that parked in front of the terminal arrivals level. They in turn arrived at least 45 minutes after at least two calls had been made to Richmond 911.
Dziedzanski had been in the arrivals area where people wait to meet people coming from customs. It was 1:00 am and customs was closed. He got into a supposedly secure area when a limousine driver with a key inadvertantly let him in. That driver was one of the people who called airport security and 911.
People at the scene thought Dziedzanski was mentally ill, but did not feel physically threatened by him. This can be seen in the early part of the LiveLeak video where a woman attempts to talk to him.
After two hours of noisemaking watched by a couple of dozen limo and taxi drivers and airport passengers, Dziedzanski was dead within one minute of the arrival of the police.
The people I talked to who witnessed this outrage are conservative, law and order working stiffs. They were both horrified by the event and very critical of the police and of the airport. Both of them also thought that the cause of death might not have been the taser, but simply too much applied to Dziedzinski’s back and neck as they were trying to handcuff him."
http://www.thepolitic.com/archives/2007/11/15/the-death-of-robert-dzieka...
"P. Hamilton wrote:
I’m not sure why almost every article is stating a “taser death” regarding Mr. Dziekanski’s unforgiveable treatment by four pathetic RCMP. It would be very interesting to learn what the Coroner’s autopsy report states. Most humans I am associated with do not appear to be built “strong” enough to withstand a large cop’s knee applied to their neck and or head with what appeared to be distinctly a great deal of pressure. What a travesty!! Did it really have to take four substantial looking RCMP to commit such an unforgiveable crime?? We as human beings need to sincerely re-consider our actions and attitudes toward each other before we become more inhumane than we already are!! Mr. Dziekanski was only looking to find his Mother, and all those people that had any contact with him all the hours that he looked, there was not one that took the trouble to help him in any way."
http://www.thepolitic.com/archives/2007/11/15/the-death-of-robert-dzieka...