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Updated: 10:48 PM Dec 3, 2009
Sheriff: Tasing Of A 10-Year-Old Boy Was Justified
Authorities say an "out of control" 10-year-old child was shocked with a Taser and arrested by sheriff's deputies in Pueblo West.
Posted: 4:42 AM Dec 3, 2009Reporter: Jason Aubry Email Address: Jaubry@kktv.com |
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53 Comments 
Monday afternoon, two Pueblo County Sheriff's Office deputies were called to 350 West Morning Glory in Pueblo West, to deal with a reportedly unruly child, for what would end up being the fifth of sixth time. According to a report supplied by the Sheriff's Office, the boy had threatened to assault his foster father with a two foot pipe and was destroying property.
When the deputies arrived, the boy ran. He took off across the street, he quickly found himself cornered in a neighbors yard, pinned in-between an RV, a pontoon boat and a wooden fence. Still carrying the pipe, the deputies repeatedly ordered the boy to drop the weapon. According to the report, the boy just shook his head and said, "I'm not going to drop the pipe." Deputy Meyers then tased the boy and the ordeal quickly came to an end.
The boy was examined. He suffered no physical damage from the taser.
When asked how he reacted to hearing his deputies tased a 10 year old boy, Pueblo County Sheriff Kirk Taylor said, "My goodness, it's a 10 year old. Is he okay?" He went on to explain that every situation is different and circumstances being what they were, the deputies were justified in their actions.
"Given his violent history, and the physical location where this individual is, I probably would have deployed my taser as well," said Taylor.
In an interview with KKTV, the boy's foster father, Daniel Biby, explained that the boy has troubles.
"On this child they've been out there four, five, six times. [The deputies] know him well, they've always been professional, they've always been patient, they've always been great," said Biby. He also says, “The deputies did the right thing.”
"If they tried to attack him and take him down, they or he or both could have been hurt, this way nobody was hurt," said Biby.
While some may still believe there were other avenues the peace officers could have taken to disarm the child, the fact of the matter remains no one was seriously hurt, physically. How the child reacts to the event psychologically is yet to be seen. His foster father hopes, it will have a lasting impression on him, and that it helps get the child on the right path.
"It's going to be one of life's lessons for him, you know, that's my hope anyway," said Biby.
Latest Comments
How respectful you people are of each other and their entitlement to their opinion! Or have you all forgotten, that everyone is allowed to voice what they think? Wishing jail time on another person's child? I guess I just do not understand that kind of behavior. I can tell you, my father has been with the Sherriff's office for over 15 years, and I trust him and every other officer to make what they felt was the best decision given the circumstances. None of us were there to experience what was happening. If they would not have acted they way they did, and someone was hurt or killed I think many of you would be acting the exact opposite.
Wow, this is really sad. The child is the way that he is because of what he has been through. It is our responsibility as a community to take care of these children now. He most likely can't just be sent to another foster home because there aren't enough foster homes. There needs to be more loving foster homes available. I strongly encourage anyone who loves children to consider doing foster care and maybe we as a community can help these children.
I think that this situation is very sad, but it is not all of you going on these calls it is the cops you voted not to give money to. There are different levels of electricity that a taser can put out, and I am sure that the TRAINED police officers did there best. It is so easy for you to write on this little blog and complain when you are sitting in your safe little houses and not makeing these hard decisions. And as for the using of the taser for everything it was more likely befor the taser that an officer would get hurt and this allows them to not have to get so close to an individule. If someone is going to act up then they are apparently not wise enough to think of the consiquences( I mean an adult in that context) as for the child well they did what they thought was best and sometimes it is simply about faith in others. The faith that they had not other recorse.
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