Suicidal man tasered in hotel lobby
A 36-year-old man was Tasered by police in a Whitehorse hotel lobby Thursday when he threatened to kill himself with a lethal syringe.
Police were negotiating with the man to drop the syringe, but he soon began filling his arm with the as-of-yet unidentified substance. Police decided to subdue him with electrical shocks and sent him to Whitehorse General Hospital.
It wasn’t his first visit.
The man is an Alberta resident who was confronted recently by police because of his agitated state, said RCMP spokesperson Sgt. Mark Groves. Due to his erratic behaviour, he was sent to the hospital for a mental health assessment.
Police once again attended to the man when they received a call at 3 a.m. Thursday morning that someone was threatening to commit suicide.
“No other people were involved, it was strictly between this man and police,” said Groves.
The man was apprehended and sent back to the hospital for his self-inflicted injuries.
The needle was seized, but it hasn’t been decided whether tests will be done. The RCMP were told it was a lethal substance, said Groves. (James Munson)