Canada Officer Speaks in Fatal Stun Gun Case

Feb. 23, 2009
The officer said the man's combative stance made him fear for his safety.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia --

A police officer in a stun gun case that left a Polish immigrant dead spoke publicly for the first time Monday, saying the man's combative stance made him fear for his safety.

The death of Robert Dziekanski - who was shocked five times and died on the floor of the Vancouver airport - was widely seen around the world after a bystander filmed it.

Intense criticism of the death helped lead Canada's federal police to announce this month they will no longer use stun guns against suspects who are merely resisting arrest. At least 20 Canadians have died after being zapped by stun guns.

All four police officers in the 2007 case were cleared of criminal charges in December, with a prosecutor saying their use of force was reasonable. None of the officers had spoken publicly about the death until now.

Dziekanski, who spoke only Polish, apparently had become upset after waiting 10 hours at the airport for his mother, who was supposed to pick him up.

On Monday, Royal Canadian Mounted Police Const. Gerry Rundel told a public inquiry the officers tried to communicate with Dziekanski, motioning for him to calm down.

Dziekanski turned away and threw his hands in the air. Rundel assumed that meant he was resisting arrest.

Rundel said he didn't see Dziekanski pick up a stapler, but when he turned back toward the officers he was holding it near his chest, his other hand clenched.

"I recall fearing for my safety to a certain degree," Rundel said.

Rundel said another officer then shocked Dziekanski with the stun gun, causing him to scream and flail. He said the supervising officer gave the order to stun him again after Dziekanski didn't immediately drop to the ground.

In all, Dziekanski was shocked five times as the officers wrestled him to the ground and handcuffed him on the airport floor, where he died minutes later.

Rundel also said a witness told him Dziekanski didn't speak English, but he and the other officers didn't discuss a plan before approaching him.

All four officers are scheduled to appear at the inquiry this week. The inquiry commissioner can make findings of misconduct against the officers and will make recommendations to avoid similar deaths.

Dziekanski's autopsy found no drugs or alcohol in his system but showed signs of chronic alcoholism. Prosecutors said he may have been in the grips of alcohol withdrawal. A pathologist speculated those factors caused delirium that may have contributed, along with the officers' actions, to his heart stopping.

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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