Police - Police shoot suspect with Taser for the first time
The police in Schleswig-Holstein used a Taser for the first time in response to a threatening situation against a suspect. The officers were called to Ahrensburg, Kreis Stormarn, on a Friday, where a man had reportedly attacked another man with a knife and a chain, and also assaulted other bystanders. According to the police statement on Tuesday, the man was reportedly aggressive towards the officers as well, leading them to use the Taser.
With the help of the Taser, the suspect was rendered incapacitated. During the subsequent arrest, two officers were reportedly injured, although the cause of their injuries is still unclear. A policewoman may have received a minor electric shock, and another officer briefly lost consciousness. The medical connection to the Taser use is still being investigated. The officers were taken to a hospital for treatment. The suspect remained unharmed and was admitted to a psychiatric clinic.
Only police officers with the appropriate training receive Tasers
Tasers are only issued to policewomen and policemen with the necessary training, said Ralph Garschke, who is responsible for the testing and introduction of Tasers at the Landespolizeiamt. In addition, the neighboring stations and emergency services are trained in handling the Distance-Electro-Impulse-Guns (DEIG). The Tasers are particularly suitable for dealing with potentially highly aggressive suspects.
"According to the current knowledge, the DEIG was appropriately used in this instance, including the warning and the prompt medical attention," said Garschke. Further insights from the current case will be evaluated after a thorough examination of the incident.
There are 35 Tasers in use statewide
Policewomen and policemen in Schleswig-Holstein have been using Tasers for approximately two years. Since May 2022, police officers from the 1. Revier in Neumünster, the Ahrensburg (Kreis Stormarn) precinct, and a special operations command have been testing Tasers. In total, they have used the Tasers 35 times. However, only in two cases were actual shots fired and no one was hit. There were no reported electric shocks to people prior to this incident.
The state has acquired a total of 35 Tasers. The total cost, according to earlier statements from the Interior Ministry, was 225,000 Euro. The police use Taser electric shock pistols from the Axon company (Model Taser 7). In critical situations, policewomen and policemen can generate a disabling light beam with the device or shoot two electrodes connected by wires at the attacker, who is incapacitated by electric shocks. The electric shocks last for five seconds, according to the police. The Tasers allow for electric shocks up to 50,000 volts. The use of Tasers follows similar regulations as for firearms.
- In the Stormarn district, specifically in Ahrensburg, the police had to utilize a Taser due to a threat situation involving a man who allegedly attacked others with a knife and a chain, as well as assaulting bystanders.
- The incident in Ahrensburg marked the first time that police officers in Schleswig-Holstein's training program used a Taser in a real-life situation, having been trained to use the device to manage highly aggressive suspects.
- Following the use of the Taser, the police in Schleswig-Holstein's Ahrensburg precinct reported that two officers were injured during the subsequent arrest, leading to investigations into potential medical connections to the Taser use.
