Sunday, November 17, 2002

Taser's role in death probed
Kevin Taylor
Staff writer
The death of a shoplifting suspect in Olympia -- who was jolted with a Taser while fighting with security guards and
police -- is still being investigated by the Thurston County coroner and sheriff's detectives.
But people familiar with the case and with Tasers say they feel confident the investigation will show the Taser didn't
cause the man's death.
Dick Machlin, administrative services manager for Olympia police, said the first officer to arrive found the suspect
fighting with a security guard in a grocery store parking lot.
The officer used his Taser once "and that didn't seem to do any good," Machlin said. And the fight continued. "It
was plain old wrestling, when you got down to it."
The suspect weighed more than 300 pounds and died sometime after being handcuffed and placed in a police car.
Olympia police began using Tasers this summer, the last of the major Puget Sound law enforcement agencies to use
the weapon.
There are 108 police departments using Tasers in Washington, said Steve Tuttle, director of government affairs for
Taser International. The company has sold Tasers to 1,700 agencies worldwide.
Since the M-26 advanced Taser -- the one used in Spokane and at North Idaho College -- was introduced in
December of 1999:
"There are nine cases out there in which someone expired following the use of the advanced Taser, hours or days
later," Tuttle said. "These are called Sudden In-custody Deaths and in every one of those cases we were exonerated
by medical examiners."
The company has never been sued and has never settled a claim, he said.
Despite a shock that ranges from 30,000 to 50,000 volts, he said, it's the amperage that's dangerous. Tasers deliver
0.168 amps, low enough not to damage hearts or pacemakers, Tuttle said.

OLYMPIA

Autopsy results could take weeks
Results of an autopsy performed Saturday on Stephen Edwards won't be released for two to three weeks, Thurston
County Coroner Judy Arnold said.
Edwards, 59, of Shelton died Thursday after an alleged shoplifting incident at Bayview Thriftway in downtown
Olympia.
Olympia police officers shot Edwards with a Taser an undisclosed number of times during a struggle in the store's
parking lot.
Results of toxicology and histology tests -- which look at blood and microscopic tissue -- take time, Arnold said.
"We're leaving it pending at this time," she said. "I don't want to hazard an opinion until we have everything in."

Dead man was from Mason County
Autopsy today for Shelton man who stopped breathing after arrest for alleged shoplifting

RUTH LONGORIA THE OLYMPIAN November 9, 2002
OLYMPIA -- An autopsy is scheduled this morning for a Shelton man who died
during a shoplifting arrest at Bayview Thriftway, Thurston County Coroner Judy
Arnold said.
Stephen L. Edwards, 59, stopped breathing Thursday after his arrest by Olympia
police officers, who had shot him with a Taser an undisclosed number of times in an
attempt to subdue him.
Edwards allegedly had attempted to reach for a gun during a scuffle with a security
guard in the store parking lot, according to Olympia police.
Officer Jeff Jordan responded to the store at 516 Fourth Ave. W. about 3 p.m.
Thursday after a Bayview employee called to report that a security guard was fighting
with a shoplifter in the store's parking lot, Olympia police said.
A second officer, Paul Bakala, arrived a short time later to assist in the arrest. Both
veteran police officers are on administrative leave during a criminal investigation,
which is being conducted by the Thurston County Sheriff's Office.
Olympia police are conducting an internal investigation.
The cause of Edwards' death may remain a mystery for several weeks while investigators compile results of the
autopsy, evidence and witness and officer statements, sheriff's Capt. Dan Kimball said.
The sheriff's office is acting as lead agency in the investigation into whether a crime was committed in the alleged
shoplifting and death, Kimball said.
The police department will handle its own internal investigation to determine whether the officers followed
procedures, Kimball said.
Edwards was suspected of shoplifting a combination of meat and household items, Bayview Thriftway store coowner Kevin Stormans said.
After hearing details from customers and other witnesses, Stormans said he thinks the security guard and Olympia
police behaved appropriately in the case.
The security guard is employed by a company that contracts with Bayview, Stormans said.
"As a principle, (guards) never initiate confrontations with anybody," Stormans said. "And they certainly wouldn't
shoot somebody over food."
When approached by the security guard, Edwards allegedly shoved him out of the way, started to place the groceries
in his car and reached for something, which turned out to be a handgun, Stormans said.
The handgun dropped under the car while Edwards wrestled with the security guard, he said.
Edwards appeared to be trying to reach the handgun when Olympia police shot him with a Taser, Stormans said.
A few moments after Edwards was handcuffed, he was found to be not breathing, according to the police report.
The number of times officers fired the Taser at Edwards is unclear from what witnesses told Stormans.
Olympia police refused to release the information and Kimball said he does not know how many times Edwards was
shot with a Taser.
Although he has investigated other in-custody deaths, this will be Kimball's first investigation of a death where a
Taser was involved, he said.
"Tasers are still fairly new," Kimball said.
However, they are used by law enforcement officers across South Sound, including Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater and
Thurston County, as a less-lethal method of subduing suspects.
Kimball intends to interview the officers next week.
Evidence, including the officers' clothing and Edwards' personal effects, were seized and will be scrutinized,
Kimball said.
"We leave no stone unturned. It's in everyone's best interest, including the officers'."
Ruth Longoria covers law enforcement for The Olympian. She can be reached at 360-754-5435 or by e-mail at
rlongori@olympia.gannett.com.
Clarification
Kevin Stormans, co-owner of Bayview Thriftway, said Friday, "I think the police did an outstanding job and the
security officer did an outstanding job as well. ... The police did a very good job taking care of what needed to be
taken care of." His opinion on the incident may have been unclear in a story Friday in The Olympian.
What is a Taser?

A Taser fires two darts attached to thin trailing wires that are connected to the Taser's circuitry, according to Taser
Technologies Inc.'s Internet site.
Although the Taser unit delivers less than 3 watts of power in a dry-cell battery, the voltage is stepped up by a pair
of transformers and delivers somewhere between 30,000 and 50,000 volts.
The Taser causes temporary loss of muscle control, causing the subject to freeze in place or fall to the ground.
No electrical death from Tasers has been observed or proven during the more than 20 years that Tasers have been
used by law enforcement agencies, Taser Technologies said.
A Taser is different from a stun gun, which is a touch device that operates in a 7- to 14-watt range and delivers a
painful shock to the subject.
On the Web
Thurston County Coroner: www.co.thurston.wa.us/coroner/
Olympia Police Department: www.ci.olympia.wa.us/Police/default.asp

Triblet
.com

I

OLYMPIA: Cause of suspect's death won't
be known for weeks
Cecilia Nguyen; The News Tribunetacoma
November 10th, 2002

It's too soon to say whether a Taser killed a man suspected of shoplifting, Thurston County medical examiners say.
Medical examiners performed an autopsy on Stephen Lawrence Edwards Saturday, but said it will be a week or two
before results will be available and they can determine exactly how he died.
An Olympia police officer fired a Taser at Edwards Thursday in a grocery store parking lot. The electric shock did
not subdue Edwards, police reported.
But after Edwards, 59, was handcuffed, officers noticed he wasn't breathing. He was pronounced dead that same day
at Providence St. Peter Hospital.
A Taser uses an electric shock to temporarily paralyze a person's muscles.
Cecilia Nguyen, The News Tribune

Monday, November 11, 2002

Taser is no killer, says its maker
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
OLYMPIA -- The maker of the Taser gun says it's unlikely that the device caused the death
of a Shelton man who was stunned while being arrested.
In 30 years, no death ever has been attributed directly to the Taser stun gun, said Steve Tuttle, director of
governmental affairs for TASER International Inc. in Scottsdale, Ariz.
"Typically, it's cocaine, pre-existing medical conditions and, in some cases, excited delirium," Tuttle said.
The device, which uses electric shock to temporarily paralyze a person's muscles, is used as a non-lethal alternative
to an officer's handgun.
An Olympia police officer fired a Taser on Thursday at Stephen L. Edwards in a grocery store parking lot. The 59year-old was suspected of shoplifting and was fighting with a security guard.
After officers handcuffed Edwards, they noticed that he wasn't breathing. He died at Providence St. Peter Hospital.
An autopsy was completed Saturday but the results of various tests on blood and tissues won't be available for two
or three weeks, said Thurston County coroner Judy Arnold. Until tests results are complete, she would not offer an
opinion on whether the Taser played a role in the death.
Taser inventor John Cover named the weapon "Taser" for Thomas A. Swift's Electric Rifle, based on Victor
Appleton's science fiction series featuring Tom Swift.
It delivers 26 watts of electricity by direct contact or by shooting out two darts connected by wire to the weapon.
The shock is not enough to cause a heart attack or damage a pacemaker, Tuttle said.
"It would take something 100 times more powerful to broach the very edge of the danger zone," he said.

Nationwide, about 1,600 law enforcement agencies use the Taser, including 107 agencies in Washington state.

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Monday, November 11, 2002 - 12:00 a.m. Pacific
By The Associated Press

Maker of Taser doubts stun gun caused death
OLYMPIA — The maker of the Taser gun says it's unlikely the device caused the death of a Shelton man who was
stunned while being arrested.
In 30 years, no death ever has been attributed directly to the Taser stun gun, said Steve Tuttle, director of
governmental affairs for TASER International in Scottsdale, Ariz.
"Typically, it's cocaine, pre-existing medical conditions and, in some cases, excited delirium," Tuttle said.
The device, which uses electric shock to temporarily paralyze a person's muscles, is used as a nonlethal alternative
to an officer's handgun.
An Olympia police officer fired a Taser on Thursday at Stephen L. Edwards in a grocery parking lot. Edwards, 59,
was suspected of shoplifting and was fighting with a security guard.
After officers handcuffed Edwards, they noticed he wasn't breathing. He died at Providence St. Peter Hospital.
An autopsy was completed Saturday, but the results of various tests on blood and tissues won't be available for two
or three weeks, said Thurston County Coroner Judy Arnold. Until tests results are complete, she would not offer an
opinion on whether the Taser played a role in the death.
Taser inventor John Cover named the weapon "Taser" for Thomas A. Swift's Electric Rifle, based on Victor
Appleton's science-fiction series featuring Tom Swift.
It delivers 26 watts of electricity by direct contact or by shooting out two darts tied by wire to the weapon. The
shock is not enough to cause a heart attack or damage a pacemaker, Tuttle said. "It would take something 100 times
more powerful to broach the very edge of the danger zone," he said.
Nationwide, about 1,600 law-enforcement agencies use the Taser, including 107 in Washington state.

Saturday, November 9, 2002

Shoplifting suspect dies after hit with Taser stun gun
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER STAFF
Autopsy results are pending for a man who died after he was hit with a Taser stun gun and wrestled into submission
by Olympia police.
The man, whose name was being withheld, was a shoplifting suspect. Officers Jeff Jordan and Paul Bakala were
placed on paid leave following the episode Thursday afternoon at Bayview Thriftway, and the investigation has been
turned over to the Thurston County Sheriff's Office.
"It's frustrating because we don't know why the man died," Olympia police Cmdr. Tor Bjornstad said. "He could
have had a pre-existing medical condition, or there could have been drugs or alcohol involved, but at this point, we
just don't know."

Triblet
.com

I

Police: It's not likely that Taser gun killed
man in custody in Olympia
Stacey Mulick; The News Tribune
November 9th, 2002

Local law enforcement officials said Friday it was too early to tell whether changes should be made in how stun
guns are used in the wake of the death of a Shelton man who died while being taken into police custody.

No death ever has been attributed directly to the Taser stun gun, said Steve Tuttle, director of governmental affairs
for TASER International Inc. in Arizona.
Tasers account for nearly the entire market for that type of weapon, Tuttle said. Nationwide, about 1,600 law
enforcement agencies use the Taser. In Washington, 107 agencies use them.
The Taser is a 30-year-old weapon that uses an electric shock to temporarily paralyze a person's muscles.
Causes other than the stun gun's mild electric shock have been blamed for deaths associated with the weapon, say
Tuttle and law enforcement officials.
"Typically, it's cocaine, pre-existing medical conditions and, in some cases, excited delirium," Tuttle said.
Thursday, an Olympia police officer fired a Taser at Stephen L. Edwards in a grocery store parking lot. The electric
shock did not subdue 59-year-old Edwards, who was suspected of shoplifting at the store, police reported.
After officers handcuffed Edwards they noticed he wasn't breathing, and he died at 3:40 p.m. at Providence St. Peter
Hospital. Thurston County medical examiners will perform an autopsy today to determine how and why Edwards
died.
Until then, local law enforcement officials say they stand by a weapon hailed as an effective tool in subduing
individuals and in preventing serious injuries.
"We see it as a very valuable tool, and it's worked very successfully for us," said Tacoma police spokesman Jim
Mattheis.
Like night sticks, pepper spray and bean-bag guns, the Taser is a nondeadly alternative to an officer's handgun.
"There are incidents where we use that tool instead of shooting somebody," said Pierce County sheriff's spokesman
Ed Troyer. "Not only do we get people in custody, but they calm down."
The Taser resembles a plastic "Star Trek" phaser. Inventor John Cover named the weapon "Taser" - short for
Thomas A Swift's Electric Rifle and based on Victor Appleton's science fiction series featuring Tom Swift.
It delivers 26 watts of electricity by direct contact or by shooting out two darts connected by wire to the weapon.
The electric shock is not enough to cause a heart attack or damage a pacemaker, Tuttle said.
"It would take something 100 times more powerful to broach the very edge of the danger zone," he said.
Tacoma police, Seattle police and the Pierce County Sheriff's Department allow some officers to use Tasers. None
of the agencies reported any serious injuries related to the stun guns.
Seattle police studied the first 13 months officers used Tasers. From Jan. 1, 2001, through Jan. 30, 2002, the
department found that:
•In 68 percent of the incidents suspects either were not hurt or had only puncture wounds.
•In 13 percent of the incidents, suspects reported injuries generally caused when they fell to the ground after being
stunned.
•In 19 percent of the incidents, suspects were hurt before police arrived, before the Taser was used or by harming
themselves.
Local law enforcement officials said they will keep in touch with Olympia police to find out what caused Edwards'
death.
"Certainly, if a less lethal option turns out to be a potential hazard, we want to look into that," said Seattle police
spokesman Duane Fish. "But it's way too early to make that determination."
Stacey Mulick: 253-597-8268
stacey.mulick@mail.tribnet.com

Local officers to continue carrying Tasers
11/08/2002
Nicole Crites, KREM 2 News
Shortly after Olympia police shot an armed shoplifting suspect with a Taser gun Thursday afternoon and got him in
handcuffs the arresting officers realized he'd stopped breathing
The man's death is putting Taser use under investigation on the west side of Washington State but it’s not stopping
the Spokane Police Department.
“I'm very confident that Tasers are safe. I never would’ve distributed them if I didn't think they were,” Police Chief
Roger Bragdon said.

Chief Bragdon says his officers are trained to spot symptoms of asphyxia and possible reactions with drugs or
existing health conditions.
Other police departments have shied away from Tasers for fear they could be used in excess but Chief Bragdon says
they specifically sought out the type they have because they also carry a special tracking chip.
“We can actually have a computer printout that shows how many times it was applied on that particular suspect and
by which officer,” Chief Bragdon said.
Having already tested safely on people with heart conditions, Spokane police will keep using Tasers to keep
suspects from hurting themselves or anyone else.

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11/10/2002

Taser maker says it's unlikely device caused Shelton man's
death
OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) - The maker of the Taser gun says it's unlikely the device caused the death of a
Shelton man who was stunned while being arrested.
In 30 years, no death ever has been attributed directly to the Taser stun gun, said Steve Tuttle, director of
governmental affairs for TASER International Inc. in Scottsdale, Ariz.
``Typically, it's cocaine, pre-existing medical conditions and, in some cases, excited delirium,'' Tuttle said.
The device, which uses electric shock to temporarily paralyze a person's muscles, is used as a non-lethal
alternative to an officer's handgun.
An Olympia police officer fired a Taser on Thursday at Stephen L. Edwards in a grocery store parking lot.
The 59-year-old was suspected of shoplifting and was fighting with a security guard.
After officers handcuffed Edwards, they noticed he wasn't breathing. He died at Providence St. Peter
Hospital.
An autopsy was completed Saturday but the results of various tests on blood and tissues won't be
available for two or three weeks, said Thurston County Coroner Judy Arnold. Until tests results are
complete, she would not offer an opinion on whether the Taser played a role in the death.
Taser inventor John Cover named the weapon ``Taser'' for Thomas A. Swift's Electric Rifle, based on
Victor Appleton's science fiction series featuring Tom Swift.
It delivers 26 watts of electricity by direct contact or by shooting out two darts connected by wire to the
weapon. The shock is not enough to cause a heart attack or damage a pacemaker, Tuttle said.
``It would take something 100 times more powerful to broach the very edge of the danger zone,'' he said.
Nationwide, about 1,600 law enforcement agencies use the Taser, including 107 agencies in Washington
state.
``We see it as a very valuable tool, and it's worked very successfully for us,'' said Tacoma police
spokesman Jim Mattheis.
Pierce County sheriff's spokesman Ed Troyer said officers use the Taser instead of shooting in some
incidents.
``Not only do we get people in custody, but they calm down,'' he said.
Seattle police studied the first 13 months that officers used Tasers, from Jan. 1, 2001, through Jan. 30,
2002. The department found:
-In 68 percent of the incidents, suspects either were not hurt or had only puncture wounds.
-In 13 percent of the incidents, suspects reported injuries generally caused when they fell to the ground
after being stunned.
-In 19 percent of the incidents, suspects were hurt before police arrived, before the Taser was used or
because they harmed themselves.
``Certainly, if a less lethal option turns out to be a potential hazard, we want to look into that,'' said Seattle
police spokesman Duane Fish. ``But it's way too early to make that determination.''

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Letters to the Editor Nov 13, 2002

"It's simple: Obey the law"
There seems to be a lot of news coverage about the tasers. First of all, if the media interview someone
who has been shot with one, of course, that person is going to say everything bad about it he can. Why
don't we interview the law enforcement officers who are using them to protect us.
Next, there has been a shoplifter -- who was armed -- who was shot with one. That was found to be fatal
to him for some reason, and now there has been an investigation into the use of tasers.
What are the police to do now, ask for a physical health card before using them?
I have an idea. If you do not want to be shot with a taser, obey the law. It's just that simple. If you can't
follow that simple insight, maybe you deserve to be shot with one.
John R. Lynch
Longview

Friday, November 8, 2002

Man dies after he's shot by stun gun
Suspect wrestled into custody by Olympia police stops breathing
By CANDACE HECKMAN
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER
A shoplifting suspect died yesterday after police in Olympia shot him with a stun gun and wrestled him into
handcuffs.
An Olympia police officer responded to the shoplifting call at the Bayview Thriftway yesterday afternoon and found
a large man carrying a handgun fighting with a security guard in the parking lot.
Authorities said the officer hit the man with a jolt from a Taser, but that the electric shock did not stop him. A
second officer arrived shortly afterward and the policemen took control of the suspect, handcuffed him and
recovered the handgun.
The man then stopped breathing. He was transported to St. Peter's Hospital, where he died shortly after arriving.
Olympia is one of several Washington cities, including Seattle, that has been making a transition to non-lethal
weapons, such as electric stun guns.
A Taser weapon shoots prongs that attach to a subject, delivering a debilitating jolt of electricity. But subjects react
differently to the shock. The method is considered non-lethal.
The King County Sheriff's Office announced last month that it would begin training 80 deputies on the use of Taser
weapons. As part of Taser training, officers themselves will be zapped.
The Olympia Police Department incident will be investigated by the Thurston County Sheriff's Office.

Shoplifting arrest ends in death
Police use stun gun outside downtown grocery
November 8, 2002

Standing next to spilled groceries in the Bayview Thriftway parking lot, investigators gather evidence Thursday
afternoon relating to the death of a shoplifting suspect.

How a Ta,ser works
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On the Web
Olympia Police Department:
www.ci.olympia.wa.us/Police/defaul
t.asp

RUTH LONGORIA THE OLYMPIAN
OLYMPIA -- A man is dead and two veteran Olympia
police officers are on administrative leave after a
shoplifting arrest went awry Thursday afternoon at
Bayview Thriftway, 516 Fourth Ave. W.
The man, whom police tried to subdue with a Taser, was
found unconscious and not breathing after being
handcuffed and placed in a police vehicle.
His name is being withheld pending notification of family
members. He was not a transient and was a resident of
South Sound, Olympia Police Commander Tor Bjornstad
said.
Investigation of the case was turned over to the Thurston
County Sheriff's Office, and the exact cause of death will
be determined by the Thurston County Coroner's Office.
"It's frustrating because we don't know why the man
died," Bjornstad said.
Mike Salsbury/The Olympian
Standing next to spilled groceries in the Bayview Thriftway parking lot, investigators gather evidence Thursday
afternoon relating to the death of a shoplifting suspect.

There were no obvious injuries from the scuffle, he said.
"He could have had a pre-existing medical condition, or there could have been drugs or alcohol involved. But at this
point, we just don't know," he said.
Officer Jeff Jordan responded to a call about 3 p.m. from a Bayview employee who said a security guard was
fighting with a shoplifter in the store's parking lot.
When Jordan arrived, he saw the suspected shoplifter -- described as a large white man -- wrestling with the guard,
Bjornstad said.
The man had pushed the security guard toward a car and was reaching for a handgun in his waistband, Bjornstad
said. Jordan fired a Taser at the man, but it was unsuccessful in subduing him, according to a police report.

When a second officer, Paul Bakala, arrived, he and Jordan were able to subdue and handcuff the man, recover the
handgun and place the man in the patrol car.
A few minutes later, the officers noticed he wasn't breathing. Medics were called and he was taken to Providence St.
Peter Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, Bjornstad said.
Kevin Stormans, co-owner of Bayview Thriftway, was shocked by the incident.
"We've never had anything like this happen before," Stormans said as he stood next to the yellow crime scene tape
that closed off about a third of the store's parking lot hours after the incident.
Although he said he hadn't had a chance to find out all of the details of the incident, Stormans believes the security
guard -- who works for a company contracted by the store -- behaved appropriately.
"They don't put themselves in harm's way, but sometimes things escalate so they do what they have to do," Stormans
said.
"I understand the security guy was doing fine until the police got here."
Ruth Longoria covers law enforcement for The Olympian. She can be reached at 360-754-5435 or by e-mail at
rlongori@olympia.gannett.com.

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Police Kill Shoplifting Suspect
November 8, 2002

By KOMO Staff & News Services
OLYMPIA, WA - A man died in Olympia Thursday after he
allegedly tried to shoplift items from a supermarket and
was shot with a taser by officers who confronted him.
A store security guard initially confronted the man, who
turned out to be carrying a handgun.
When Olympia city police officers arrived, they shot him
with a taser, which delivers an electrical charge meant to
temporarily disable suspects.
"He was violent and he was aggressive and he was
resistant," said Mark Smith, a security guard.
The taser reportedly had no visible effect, but officers subdued the man and had put him
into a patrol car when they noticed he was not breathing.
The man was taken to a hospital, where he was declared dead.
The Thurston County sheriff's department is investigating the incident.

Shoplifting suspect dies after taser
gun incident with police
11/07/2002
From KING5.com and KING 5 Staff Reports
OLYMPIA, Wash. - A shoplifting suspect died at the hands of Olympia Police after being tasered and subdued by
officers Thursday.
It's not clear yet why the suspect stopped breathing shortly after being taken into custody by police, but the Thurston
County Sheriff's Department is investigating the incident.
The incident happened around 3 p.m. at the Bayview Thriftway in Olympia, Wash. According to a police report, the
suspect – described as a large, white male – was fighting with the store security guard in the store parking lot. The
suspect, police had been told, reportedly had a handgun.

The suspect and the security guard were still fighting when the first officer arrived at the scene. The officer directed
the guard to move away from the suspect. When he did so, the officer fired his Taser at the suspect. Tasers are
designed to stun suspects into submission.
The taser reportedly failed to subdue the suspect, but when the second officer arrived, they were able to get the
suspect under control, handcuff him, and recover the handgun. No gun shots were fired during the entire incident.
But moments after the suspect was taken into custody, the officers realized the suspect was no longer breathing.
Medics were immediately called and the subject was transported to St. Peter's Hospital, where he was pronounced
dead shortly after arrival.
Olympia Police have asked the Thurston County's Sheriff's Department to conduct the investigation into the
incident.
The identity of the man is being withheld until relatives are notified of the man's death.

013 Nevvs

Shoplifting Suspect Dies After Police Shoot Him With Taser
The Associated Press
November 7, 2002
OLYMPIA -- A man died in Olympia today after he allegedly tried to shoplift items from a supermarket and was
shot with a taser by officers who confronted him.
A store security guard initially confronted the man, who turned out to be carrying a handgun.
When Olympia city police officers arrived, they shot him with a taser, which delivers an electrical charge meant to
temporarily disable suspects.
The taser reportedly had no visible effect, but officers subdued the man and had put him into a patrol car when they
noticed he was not breathing.
The man was taken to a hospital, where he was declared dead. His identity was not immediately available.
The Thurston County sheriff's department is investigating the incident.

Shoplifting arrest ends in death
11/08/2002
Associated Press
(OLYMPIA) A man who had just been arrested for investigation of shoplifting died after he was hit with a jolt with
a Taser stun gun and wrestled into submission by police.
Officers Jeff Jordan and Paul Bakala were placed on paid leave following the episode Thursday afternoon at
Bayview Thriftway, and the investigation has been turned over to the Thurston County sheriff's office, police said.
An autopsy was pending.
"It's frustrating because we don't know why the man died," city police Cmdr. Tor Bjornstad said. "He could have
had a pre-existing medical condition, or there could have been drugs or alcohol involved, but at this point, we just
don't know."
The man, whose name was being withheld, lived in the south Puget Sound area, Bjornstad said.
Bjornstad said Jordan was sent to the store after an employee reported that a security guard was fighting in the
parking lot with someone suspected of shoplifting.
As the man reached for a handgun in his waistband after pushing the guard toward a car, Jordan fired his Taser, but
the electric jolt failed to subdue the man, according to a police report.
Bakala arrived and helped Jordan wrestle the man into submission. They put him in handcuffs, seized his gun and
put him in a patrol car, then noticed a few minutes later that he was not breathing, the police report said.
The man was pronounced dead shortly after being rushed to Providence St. Peter Hospital.