Police officer uses Taser on Rosebud Sioux girl (EIGHT years old!!!)

[niyad]

Native Sun News: Police officer uses Taser on Rosebud Sioux girl

PIERRE—An 8 year old member of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe was subdued by a police Taser in Pierre after officers responded to a report of the child being suicidal.
The child, who was under the care of a baby sitter at the time of the incident, was holding a 4 inch knife that responding officers reported was being held to her chest.

In statements made to the Sioux Falls Argus Leader, Pierre Police Chief Bob Grandpre, said that once the officers arrived on the scene the child was approached by the officer and turned the knife towards the officer, when the officer stopped she placed the knife back at her chest. It was then that the officer fired the Taser at the child. The prongs from the Taser hit the 8 year old in the chest and stomach. The devices are designed to give police a non-lethal alternative to firearms and send a shock through the bodies of those they are deployed on high enough to disable any possible threat that may be present.

A family member who spent time with the child in the days after the incident told Native Sun News that the child had told them that the blast from the Taser sent her child in to the wall where it knocked her out.

“She said that she didn’t remember anything after that,” said the family member.

. . . .


The child was in extreme pain the night of the incident and has according to the family member begun having panic attacks and difficulties breathing ever since she was tasered. In some cases the use of the devices has led to cardiac arrest and a variety of other heart conditions amongst those who were hit by them.
. . .

Pierre police chief, Bob Grandpre in statements to the Argus Leader defended the actions of the officer saying
*******“He quite possibly saved the juvenile’s life that night.”***** (I think I am going to be quite ill)
. . . . .

http://www.indianz.com/News/2013/011475.asp

[littlemissmartypants]

1. What a sad state of affairs we are in. nt

[niyad]

2. truly.

[newfie11]

3. I assume this was a tribal cop

Is there any authority beside FBI that can investigate?

[niyad]

4. the article says it was police from pierre, not tribal police.

[newfie11]

5. Regular cops have no authority on the Res

Not hiway patrol either.
As far as I know only tribal cops (BIA)or FBI have authority on the Res.

[theHandpuppet]

6. It must have happened off the reservation

According to this report, it was definitely the Pierre police. FOUR officers couldn't peacefully subdue an eight-year-old? This is INSANE.

Police taser 8-year-old girl when babysitter calls for help
"The force of the electricity shot through her body, lifted her, and threw her against a wall," a lawsuit states.
Posted on August 12, 2014 by Site Staff in News

PIERRE, SD — The use of force on a child sparked controversy after an 8-year-old girl was tased following an apparent suicide threat.

The incident occurred when a babysitter phoned police on October 4, 2013, saying the young girl she was supervising wouldn’t put down a knife and was threatening to hurt herself.

Four Pierre police officers arrived and confronted the girl, identified only as L.M.J. She was holding a 4.5-inch paring knife found in the kitchen.

The force used to quell the situation has drawn varied reactions, and has prompted a lawsuit to be filed against the Pierre Police Department by the girl’s mother, Dawn Stenstrom....

MORE at http://www.policestateusa.com/2014/pierre-police-taser-child/

[newfie11]

7. Ah that would make sense

I was wondering why Pierre police would be down in Rosebud res. It's a bit if a drive. Now I understand, thanks.