US police use stun gun on 6-year-old

Saturday, November 13, 2004:
US police use stun gun on 6-year-old
A United States police officer has used a stun gun on a six-year-old boy to keep him from cutting himself with a piece of broken glass, sparking controversy.

Miami-Dade County police chief Bobby Parker has defended the officer's decision.

"Had the child cut his vein and the officer had not Tasered the child, somebody would be saying, 'well, you had the Taser, why didn't you Taser the child'," Mr Parker told the Miami Herald newspaper.

A Taser is a gun which fires an incapacitating electric charge of 50,000 volts.

At least one local official and many residents have questioned the police officer's actions.

"I really can't believe they did that," County Commissioner Joe Martinez told the newspaper. "This might be a good opportunity to review our policy."

-AFP
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