Ontario man dies after being stunned with taser

June 25, 2010
Morgan Ian Adams, QMI Agency (Toronto Sun)

COLLINGWOOD, Ont. - Ontario's Special Investigations Unit is investigating after a man died after he was tasered by police at a group home Thursday afternoon.

The backyard of the St. Marie St. home remains cordoned off by yellow police tape Friday morning.

According to the OPP, officers were called to the group home after a report that a man had assaulted an elderly female resident. The SIU said the call came at about 5:30 p.m.

Upon their arrival, OPP members say the man became combative with the officers and assaulted one of them.

Officers deployed a conductive energy weapon - known as a taser - to subdue the man.

That's when the man became "unresponsive," the SIU said.

OPP administered first aid on the man and he was transported to Collingwood General and Marine Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

An officer was also transported to hospital with minor injuries, the OPP said.

Four investigators and two forensic investigators from the SIU are looking into the death. Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact the SIU at 416-622-0748, or 1-800-787-8529.