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Dashcam Video Shows Police Tasing that Put Missouri Teen Into Cardiac Arrest
Former Independence, Missouri, Police Officer Timothy Runnels will spend 48 months in jail for a 2014 taser incident that left a teen in a coma after pleading guilty to federal charges he violated the constitutional rights of a minor while in custody.
The US Department of Justice released dashcam video of the September 14, 2014, arrest of Bryce Masters, then 17 years old, on June 6 after it was played during Runnels’ sentencing hearing. Reports said Masters nearly died.
A Department of Justice press release said Runnels ran the electric shock from his taser for 20 seconds, four times longer than police procedure. The DOJ said in the release, “Although the minor suffered cardiac arrest and facial injuries, he survived the incident due to timely medical treatment by medical personnel at the scene and at the hospital.”
The dashcam video shows Runnels asking Masters to roll down his window, which he does not do. Runnels then demands that Masters come out of the vehicle, but he refuses to get out of the car. Masters protests that he didn’t do anything and asks if he’s being arrested several time. Runnels says he’s being arrested, but he doesn’t say what he did wrong.
After a few moments, the officer then holds the taser up to Masters and demands he gets out of the car then fires the taser while Masters is still in the vehicle. Masters then gets out of the vehicles and gets on the ground, screaming at one point. Runnels handcuffs him, pulls him up off the ground and drags him to the side of the road where he throws him to the ground. Masters can be heard moaning.
Runnels calls for emergency medical assistance after a few moments as Masters still lies on the ground. He asks Masters to sit up, but he doesn’t comply. “I’ve been tased a dozen times and haven’t acted like that,” he tells Masters.
Runnels retells the story of the incident to another officer. He says after he tased Masters, he started fighting in the car and kicked him. Runnels says he walked Masters to the side of the road “where he started doing this.” The second officer asks Masters to wake up several times, but he doesn’t respond. Runnels repeats that Masters tried to fight him in the car to the second officer and to a third officer that arrives on the scene. The third officer says Masters is turning blue.
Emergency medical technicians arrive and give Masters oxygen before ultimately shocking his heart with a defibrillator. Reports said Masters was taken to the hospital and put into a medically-induced coma. He testified in court that he has become forgetful and has trouble focusing as a result of the incident.
Runnels later left the department, but it was unclear if he was fired or resigned.
Courtesy: Department of Justice, Independence Police Department
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