Taser used to subdue Vernon man before shooting: POLICE SAY

Taser used to subdue Vernon man before shooting: police
Fri Dec 28, 10:59 PM

An agitated man shot dead by RCMP in Vernon, B.C., on Thursday was initially hit by a Taser after he refused to drop the knife he was holding, a senior police officer says.


RCMP District Cmdr. Don Harrison told reporters Friday that the man died after police arrived at a Vernon apartment building on the 3800 block of 27th Avenue with a warrant issued under the Canadian Mental Health Act. (They already KNEW that he had mental health issues!)-W


The victim was 23-year-old Chris Klim, the CBC has learned.


Harrison said the officers initially tried to contact Klim by phone, and could hear the phone in his apartment ringing through a closed door, but no one answered.


Police reacted by forcing open the door and confronting Klim, who, according to Harrison, was wielding a knife. (Well, Yes. I think I can understand why he had a knife... he had MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES AND YOU KICKED IN HIS DOOR! Of course he thinks someone is after him and out to kill him. He armed himself to protect himself! This is absolutely UNACCEPTABLE. Knife or not; killing this young man is unacceptable. What if he was just off his meds for a bit... OH well... right? This is how we can irradicate all people with mental health issues! It's not the first time, read back about the Renfrew man in my blog!)-W


When he refused to drop the knife, police used a Taser to try to subdue him. (Please see possible reason above)-W


But when that didn't work, and Klim continued to wield the knife, he was shot twice, Harrison said. (They couldn't have fired NON-FATAL shots? It was MANDATORY that this young man was murdered?)-W


Regional coroner Tonia Grace has ordered an autopsy.


The Commission for Public Complaints against the RCMP will also investigate the incident.
(Oh I'm sure they will, and I'll bet a lot of $$ that officers are cleared of any wrong-doing... as usual!)-W

Harrison said seven police officers, including the detachment commander, were involved in the confrontation. But none was hurt. (What kind of training do these guys go through? They have no negotiation skills? No people skills? No understanding of mental health issues? They can't remain employed to protect and serve a community that they don't understand!)-W

Seniors mostly in building

An elderly resident told CBC that the apartment building was occupied mainly by senior citizens.
He said he heard loud banging noises outside his apartment at around midday Thursday, but for his own safety decided not to get involved.

The elderly resident said the apartment was occupied by a man named "Chris,'' who he understood to be "a fairly decent guy.''

Keith Brumwell, a former RCMP trainer who now works for the Canadian Metal Health Association, said police officers typically receive half a day of mental health training at the national RCMP academy in Regina. (WOW! In a 1/2 day (less than 4hrs) these officers have a firm understanding of how to deal effectively and humanely with people with mental health issues?! GUESS NOT! In fact, instead, they SHOOT THEM, TWICE!!! Oh wait, AFTER they taser them!)-W


"That's really insufficient in a six-month training program,'' he said. (WOW! But now a young man is dead. Good job boys!)-W


"You know from going to school or university, if you have a lecture one afternoon, how much of that are you going to retain?"


In British Columbia, police officers take an additional five-day course at the Pacific Region Training Centre.

RCMP Const. Steve Hiscoe, an instructor at the centre, said that while lessons don't specifically focus on mental-health issues, officers are taught to recognize the symptoms of mental distress. (So, once they can regognize 'symptoms of mental distress' what are they supposed to do about it? Taser? Shoot? Run them over with their car [see Alcantera-Gomez incident, Ottawa]... Perhaps ADDITIONAL training would be a good start. MORONS!)-W

However, if somebody comes at police with a weapon, they have to react, he added.

With files from the Canadian Press

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