Tasered Metro Vancouver teen may face charges

METRO VANCOUVER — A teenager who was sent to hospital after being Tasered by Surrey RCMP Thursday may face criminal charges.

RCMP said they arrived at a park in the Vancouver suburb around 9 p.m. to find the boy “highly intoxicated” and brandishing a six-inch knife.

A police officer Tasered the teenager in lieu of lethal force, according to an RCMP news release Friday.

Once officers used the Taser, they escorted him to a police vehicle.

After vomiting in the rear of the vehicle, the suspect was taken to a nearby firehall where he was given oxygen, the news release said.

He was taken to hospital for further examination.

The teenager is currently at a holding cell at the Surrey RCMP detachment.

The RCMP said it is considering charges for uttering threats or grievous bodily harm, assault with a weapon and possession of a weapon.

Taser use by RCMP in B.C. has been in the spotlight recently, specifically in the case of Polish immigrant Robert Dziekanski, who died after being Tasered and restrained by RCMP at Vancouver airport on Oct. 14, 2007.

The inquiry into the death of 40-year-old Dziekanski has been put on hold until Sept 22, after an explosive e-mail from a senior commanding RCMP officer surfaced which said the four Mounties had discussed using a Taser against Dziekanski before arriving at the airport.