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Taser guns are supposed to be a less deadly alternative to subduing out-of-control suspect, yet a surprising number of people have died in Florida after being stunned. Just today a man at a movie theater in the CityWalk section of Universal died after police used a Taser on him. The incident occurred after police observed Adam Spencer Johnson, 33, of nearby Winter Haven, Florida, acting erratically.
A police spokeswoman tells The Orlando Sentinel that Joseph was “grabbing his beard, grabbing his head…he was being disorderly.” It’s unclear if Joseph proved a danger to those around him.
Four off-duty officers witnessed the incident and called another on-duty officer to assist in arrest Joseph. However Joseph began resisting violently. One of the officers used a stun gun on Joseph, and the other handcuffed him. Only once he was cuffed, laying facedown on the concrete floor did the officers realize that Joseph had become unresponsive.
He was taken to Dr. Phillips Hospital and pronounced dead.
Last July, New Times ran a story on the phenomenon of “excited delirium.” The syndrome, which causes sufferers to act erratically, is most often seen in those who either have a history of serious mental health issues or who have used drugs like cocaine.
Some believe that sufferers of excited delirium are particularly prone to heart attacks when being Tasered.
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