I was tasered

[trfcrugby]

I teach at a Voc-Ed center in town, and the LE class wanted to do a taser demo. I think it was an X26, it looked like a gun and had a laser sight on it. I was talked into doing it, and in hindsight it was a poor decision.

The officer put one alligator clip on the right side back of my neck, and the other on my opposite ankle. I then took a full 5 second hit. The worst part, was that I had to do two more demos that day, although none of those were 5 seconds, the rest were just hit and release.

That was over a month ago, and my back is still injured. I haven't been able to lay flat on the floor since it happened, I can't twist, and I haven't been to the gym for a serious work out. I've missed 5 weeks of my BJJ class, which sucks.

Has anyone here ever been tasered, and if so, did you get hurt?

 

[ChristopherG]

Yeah, I've taken the 5-second ride, as has anyone who's certified to use the Taser in Law Enforcement (well, some don't do the full 5, but we did). If yours looked like a gun it was probly an M26; the battery got smaller on the X26 and it looks more like a phaser--but the effects are pretty much identical.

Sucks to be Tasered, is lesson one of getting Tasered. By hooking you up with the probes across the full body like that, they really screwed you--it involved the muscles across your entire body. You'd be very lucky to land a shot like that in real life; more probable is getting two probes in the torso--which is still good enough.

Lesson two of getting Tasered is that the Taser is a very effective tool when it connects. Not a substitute for deadly force, but an awesome adjunct.

No-one in my group of 9 got injured. I was actually shot in the frontside and had some limited control while being shocked--could advance a step toward the instructor, but could not have mounted anything like an effective resistence. Sorry to hear you're having residual problems, but it's almost certainly just a muscle strain that will heal up if you take appropriate measures to let it.

 

[hso]

What does your doctor say?

 

[trfcrugby]

Extremely bad muscle strain. I am not a small guy, 5'10", 205lbs, pretty athletic. He said that was why it hurt so damn bad. The officer told me small tweakers sometimes don't react much at all because of the low amount of muscle mass on their wasted bodies.

Something to tell the grandkids, I guess.

 

[kellyj00]

Are you sure your back was hurt because of the Taser? you said you took three rides that day. Was the last one the one that hurt you, or did you wake up the next day with the problem?

I've never heard of anyone going from Neck to Foot like that...that's not much different than getting struck by lightning. I remember hearing back during my welding days that it was worst to close a circuit hand-to-hand because the current would cross your heart and possibly knock it out of rhythm...but that was years ago and more a rumor than proven, of course I've never met anyone who died from anything, let alone an electrical shock ;-)

 

[trfcrugby]

For the second and third shot, they did my leg, and that was not nearly as bad. It made me jump, and hurt like hell, but like you said, I may have been able to move around and jump around. The full body shot was 100% incapacitating.

The first ride is the one that hurt me. After that I refused to take anymore to my back. I could barely stand straight up after the first hit, the muscles in my back were so torqued. Had I not given my word to my own class that they could watch, I would not have done the subsequent hits in the later classes.

 

[Geno]

Sorry to hear that. It's admirable that you would take 3 hits for the kids! Bet you really earned their respect! Not many teachers would be that brave!

Doc2005

 

[trfcrugby]

I don't know if brave is the word for it...lol.

The LE teacher told me he did 3 hits in one day (all three to the leg), and that he didn't think I was as tough as him. He was joking of course, but it was a friendly challenge. I took it, and now I am paying the price. I told him next time he wants to challenge me, we need to just go to the gym...if I can ever get back in there.

 

[461]

I never understood the stupidity of making people get tasered before being qualified to carry, same with the mace and pepper sprays. I did it all but see no value whatsoever in it. You don't have to get shot to carry a gun, what's the difference!

Sorry to hear of your problem, those muscle spasms can really mess you up for a while, a good excuse to take it easy for a while.

 

[Dravur]

Me either.

I have never understood the concept of getting Tasered or Maced to understand the "concept" of getting maced or tasered. I don't need to be shot to understand that getting shot sucks.

Although I did get pepper sprayed once. Made my eyes water a bit, but in no way incapacitated me. I use it for BBQing now. Adds a nice kick to chicken.

 

[ChristopherG]

I found it instructive. I know from the experience of being OC'd what NOT to expect if I use it on someone else (i.e., total or even near total incapacitation). Could still be a useful tool, but I know its limitations in a real and direct way.

Similarly. I know what to expect from using a taser--and have a relatively high degree of confidence in it (in the right situation, and backed up w/lethal cover).

 

[nhhillbilly]

I have been tasered

I have been tasered also. We did our entire department. The instructor deployed the TASER as in real life. From about 6 to 8 feet away he pulled the trigger and we were hit with the probes and given a 5 second ride. It sucked for the 5 seconds but after that all were good to go.

I have used it once on the street. Incapicated the subject right away. He was going for his firearms. I had the taser in my hand so I used it. He locked up and fell over. Kept me from having to shoot him with my firearm.

 

[trueblue1776]

Dude, I'm sorry, that's pretty funny.

When I was about 14 me and my brother bought a broken stun gun from a yard sale and tried to fix it, we fixed it, maybe it was never broken...

BZZZZZZZZZZZ -pop- -crackle-pop- pop-

electricity is hilarious

Hey Doc, if you want a bravery cookie I'm giving a class on nad smashing next weekend, wanna demonstrate?

 

[Shipwreck]

I think they screwed U on that 1st hit. Sorry man. Hope U feel better soon.

 

[bensdad]

Been there, done that

I am a public school teacher. When the local PD incorporated Tasers into their continuum of force, they came in for a workshop and explained the tool to the staff, just in case they had to use one in the school, we would know what we were seeing and what to expect.

At the end of the presentation one of the officers asked if anyone wanted to volunteer. I did.

I didn't find it to be painful, just incapacitating. The worst part was the way it made me scream like a little girl. I never knew I had that sound in my voice.