Death from a stun gun: new victims of non-lethal weapons. How long can you lose consciousness from a powerful shocker?

Now 90% of federal security agencies in the USA You can buy such a thing in Ukraine, and in the descriptions of “tasers” on domestic Internet sites it is sure to indicate: “Does not cause harm to humans. The current sent is too weak to cause any tissue damage."

However, the danger of shockers is overly understated.

What is Taser?

The Taser is a long-range electroshock weapon that was previously marketed as non-lethal. In 1969, it was developed by NASA engineer Jack Cover, who named his brainchild after the hero of his favorite children's book, “Tom Swift and His Electric Gun,” about the adventures of American colonists in Africa.

The main models that the manufacturing company recommends to both security forces and civilians for self-defense are the Taser X26 and the Taser X2 Defender.

There are two operating modes of the shocker. In “dart” mode, the weapon fires a pair of electrodes (they dig into the attacker’s skin and paralyze the muscles for a few seconds). The range of the shocker depends on the type of cartridge being charged, but for civilian buyers the length of the wires cannot reach more than 4.5 meters. There is also a contact mode that is more standard for stun guns. It is found in those “tasers” that are designed for use by security forces; in this mode, the shocker must be pressed directly to the object’s body and the trigger pressed - muscle paralysis will not follow,


TASER

Why is he so popular?

It's clearly not a matter of price - police Taser models cost from $850 to $1,500; add a battery ($55) and a spare cartridge ($27). However, police in the United States are purchasing thousands of such devices. In 2016, Taser (now called Axon Enterprise) sold more than $200 million worth of them.


Rather, it is a matter of convenience and greater security for the owner. “Women no longer need to suffer with gas canisters!” – says one of the company’s slogans. And also in the relative humanity of this type of weapon. The company also emphasizes this: although it has not used the word “non-lethal” in relation to its shockers for about 10 years - it has been replaced by the adjective “less lethal”, “less lethal” - the instructions still emphasize that that the death was a consequence of the shooter not following the manufacturer's recommendations. It’s like “guns don’t kill, people kill.”

In order to control how the owner uses the taser, most of them have built-in electronic counters, and identification marks in the form of confetti are additionally scattered at the site of the shot:


TASER

This way, the police department can know when the officer used the Taser and how many times he pulled the trigger. Finally, some Tasers have a small built-in camera, which is also intended to prevent abuse of the weapon.

So, no one doubted his safety?

They doubted it, argued about its dubious humanity, and even demanded a ban. This is reflected in the “less-lethal” label, which in reality means something like this: we created non-lethal weapons, and in most cases they are. But how many exceptions are there to this majority?

Amnesty International's regional offices have repeatedly alleged the use of Tasers as a means of torture and in 2012 stated that at least 500 people had died from Tasers being used on them since 2001. The report states: “The fatalities include 43-year-old Allen Kephart, who was pulled over for an alleged violation in May 2011. traffic in California and died after three police officers used a stun gun on him up to 16 times.” However we're talking about not only about repeated applications of Taser in contact mode, which at a minimum will cause a painful shock in a person; but also about the less painful “dart” mode.

In 2015, Labor leader David Blunkett, during whose time as Home Secretary the British police were armed with Tasers, called for a review of the principles of their use. This comes after it was revealed that police used Tasers on 431 teenagers throughout 2013. The youngest person to receive the Taser was an 11-year-old child; the youngest person shot was a 14-year-old.

Back in 2007, a case in a California prison called into question the “non-lethality” of Taser for people with heart disease. While trying to escape, a 53-year-old prisoner with a pacemaker was hit by a dart in the right side breasts The pacemaker acted as a conductor of the discharge, and since then the unlucky fugitive began to complain of increased chest pain. Of course, the company was aware that the Taser discharge was not a mosquito bite, but before mass release, tests were carried out on healthy volunteers, most often policemen, so it was difficult to judge the consequences for elderly “heart patients”.

In 2009, when testing the Taser X3 model, one of these experimental police officers was “No. 8,” a man with a characteristic sunken sternum (med. pectus excavatum). Due to the fact that the heart is less protected during such a deformation, the man’s pulse during an electric shock jumped from 57 to 240 beats per minute:


The device's configuration was changed on doctors' recommendations, and the company continued to insist that the weapon's impact on the heart was "very unlikely" - but still issued instructions for police not recommending aiming the Taser at the heart.

In the 2010s, not only doctors, but also journalists, independently studied the lethality of Taser. According to The Guardian's "The Counted" database, which listed people who died at the hands of police in the United States in 2016, the use of Tasers was responsible for 22 deaths during the year. And we’re not just talking about armed and dangerous criminals:


In particular, the following is said about 35-year-old Nancy Friedrich. “Friedrich died after being electrocuted twice. Friends told police that Friedrich, who had a history of psychological problems and drug use, was hanging around the pond, claiming to be married to Jesus.” A deputy constable hit a woman twice with a Taser when she threatened him with... a piece of wood. Back in 2010-2013. Taser began advising its customers not to administer electric shocks to people who were under the influence of drugs, highly agitated, or physically overworked. It is clear that a cold-blooded, armed, sober and not exhausted criminal has a better chance of running into a bullet than a shocker. The same cannot be said about people like Nancy Friedrich, for whom such a blow could be fatal.

Similar databases were previously maintained by USA Today and the Fatal Encounters website. But both they and Amnesty relied mainly on news headlines - and not all such cases make it into the newspapers. Reuters decided to compile its own statistics on Taser deaths, for which the agency re-requested the results of hundreds of autopsies and other related information.

How did they conduct the investigation?

Much was done by hand. Journalists took the broadest search parameters (for example, instead of the name Taser, they typed in keywords like “electronic monitoring device”), entered them into news services Google, Nexis and Factiva and selected those cases where the cause of death could have been a Taser. At the same time, also with broad search parameters, they checked the legal databases of Westlaw, Pacer and Lexis and found out whether there were lawsuits regarding the death. They also made inquiries to the police to confirm or deny the involvement of the Taser.

“For example, a news story mentioned the death of a person, but did not reveal his identity or directly state that a Taser was used; We then used police records to tease out the facts and see if the case fit our database criteria. Once it was confirmed, it was tabulated and assigned to a specific journalist for further investigation,” explains international journalist Peter Eisler.

And what did they find out?

That tasers of this type were used by police in 1,005 fatal cases - this is 305 more deaths than recorded in the latest Amnesty International study, despite the fact that Reuters' selection criteria were stricter. The database itself includes not only the circumstances of the case (whether the suspect was armed, whether he suffered from psychological disorders), skin color, gender and age of the deceased, but also the outcome of the investigation - this parameter was studied for the first time.


TASER

According to public data, in 128 cases the defendant was the manufacturing company. By the way, Taser itself keeps statistics of incidents involving its shockers, but only for internal use, and publicly names the figure of 24 dead - but, according to the company, they also died from secondary causes(for example, falling and hitting), and not directly from the discharge. In 232 of the 366 lawsuits where the government was the defendant, the court ruled in favor of the plaintiff.

And what does this prove?

The stories of these 1005 people, like history in general, do not tolerate the subjunctive mood. We cannot say with certainty which of the cases could have happened without a single victim, and in which there could have been many more victims if the dangerous subject had not been neutralized with a shocker. In 2010, 87-year-old Phyllis Owens, who loved cats and disliked the employees of the trailer park where she lived, began threatening them with a gun. The police arriving at the scene used a Taser, which led to the death of the woman. There is a possibility that she would have actually shot the hated repairmen if the police had not used force. After the recent tragedy in Las Vegas, where the killer of 59 people was a man who did not suffer from obvious disorders to those around him and had no problems with the police, this probability will only increase in the eyes of law enforcement officers.

This means that the number of cases such as the death of Tom Schrock in 2012 will increase: a 57-year-old man fell into manic states after the death of his eldest child and required hospitalization from time to time. When his frightened wife called 911, responding police officers used a stun gun on the unarmed father of the family, resulting in his death. “I called so they could help me,” says Nancy Schrock, “not so they could come and kill him.” “Many of those who die [after Taser use] are not protected - they are unarmed, psychologically unstable and in need of help,” writes Reuters.

The Reuters investigation does not at all prove that innocent victims can always be avoided, and that police officers or shock gun manufacturers themselves are “bad” (after all, no one in the United States erects a monument to Jack Cover, like Kalashnikov in the Russian Federation). It only once again emphasizes that the ethical line between acceptable and unacceptable risk - in police operations, in medicine, and even in marketing - is very thin, and it is most often left to enthusiasts to collect and publish data that would allow it to be drawn.

1,0 1 -1 5

Now any stun gun store is ready to offer customers a lot of models of very different power. The voltage of individual devices reaches 100,000 Volts! This raises fair doubts: could a current comparable to that of a high-voltage power line cause irreparable harm to the attacker’s health?

The answer is no, if you purchase certified product self-defense, in accordance with Russian legislation. The fact is that the power of these devices is strictly regulated. If the voltage increases, the current steadily decreases. And, as you know, it is high amperage that causes death - voltage does not cause serious damage, but only paralyzes and knocks out the victim. So you can safely use even the most high-voltage device - death is excluded!

Effect of a stun gun on the body

Most often, stun guns are used on such areas of the body as the groin, throat, back, rib cage. Sometimes the impact also occurs through the hands - for example, the osa 928 series stun gun is equipped with special anti-grip plates that are triggered if the enemy holds your device in the palm of his hand and tries to pull it out.

The body's first reaction to the penetration of electricity is a painful shock. The person becomes lost, his coordination and ability to think clearly are impaired. At long-term exposure an effect called “electromuscular disturbance” occurs - the current penetrates nerve centers, as a result of which they begin to send false signals to the central nervous system. The brain is lost from contradictory data and most often completely “turns off” - a state of fainting occurs.

If the enemy is not “knocked out”, he muscular system Very painful cramps begin to occur, leading to spasms and temporary failure of the limbs. Paralysis is often accompanied by asphyxia - shortness of breath - and other unpleasant sensations. But after 40 minutes - an hour, all these effects will pass, and after 2 - your opponent will fully recover.

A stun gun is an effective means of self-defense. Despite large number information, people are still influenced by myths. And the same questions come up all the time. Therefore, we decided to collect the most popular of them and give detailed answers.

How does a stun gun work?

After being hit with a stun gun, a person experiences temporary paralysis. Within 10-30 minutes he will be disoriented and unable to take any action. If the stun gun was powerful, the person will experience severe muscle pain. Control brain signals are also suppressed, and the amount of carbohydrates that muscles need for movement drops sharply. The level of aggression also decreases, and drunk people quickly sober up.

The severity and duration of the reaction to a shocker depends on the class of the device.

Can marks remain after an impact?

With short-term contact of up to two seconds, the likelihood of traces appearing is minimal. If contact lasts longer, slight redness will remain on the skin. But they disappear completely within two hours. When struck with a stun gun through clothing, the area of ​​redness will be larger. However, absolutely all traces of contact disappear after two days, regardless of the duration and force of the impact.

Legality of using stun guns in the Russian Federation

According to the law, stun guns Russian production permitted for use, wearing and storage. Any adult citizen can legally purchase them. However, according to Article No. 37 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, the use of a stun gun must be justified. It can only be used when the health or life of the owner is at risk real danger, and there is no other way to avoid a skirmish. Only under such circumstances will self-defense be considered acceptable. Otherwise, the law will not be on your side, which may lead to criminal charges.

If the enemy has already been neutralized, then you cannot finish him off with additional blows.

What places on the body are most sensitive to stun gun impacts?

If you want a stun gun to be effective enough, then aim at one of the most sensitive places. These include:

A stun gun of sufficient power can stop an enemy when struck in any part of the body. Only the effect will differ.

Can a stun gun handle winter clothes?

The depth of the breakdown of a stun gun depends on the voltage. These parameters are always specified in technical specifications to the device. Powerful shockers can easily handle a down jacket, sheepskin coat or fur coat.

Is it safe to use a stun gun in the rain?

Atmospheric precipitation does not affect the effectiveness of using a stun gun. It is suitable for defense even during heavy rain. It's completely safe.

Is it possible to get an electric shock from an opponent?

During a shock, the victim's body completely absorbs the electrical discharge. Therefore, you cannot be harmed by the enemy. The only exception is the unlikely case when both people are in a filled bath.

Is it possible to die after being hit with a Taser?

Manufacturers of stun guns draw up a medical and biological report before releasing a model. Only on this basis is the device certified. This confirms that the stun gun is completely legal, which means that its impact cannot lead to death.

There is a myth that a shock to the heart can lead to death. However, numerous tests and trials on volunteers refuted it. After dozens of beats of varying duration, the heart continues to function normally.

The effectiveness of a stun gun when encountering aggressive dogs

A stun gun allows you to protect yourself not only from unfriendly people, but also from aggressive dogs. Devices of any class are suitable for scaring away stray animals. Dogs are afraid of stun guns for three reasons.

  1. Loud sound. Aggressive cracking can scare almost any dog.
  2. The smell of ozone. During discharge occurs chemical reaction, which results in the release of ozone. Dogs really don't like this smell.
  3. Bright flash. A long arc of electricity sparkling in the night quickly puts the animals to flight.

However, it is worth remembering that stun guns are created to neutralize people. Dogs are more susceptible to shock and may die after being shocked.

One thing is certain, to be sure that the stun gun is safe and legal, you should only purchase certified products with a guarantee. This will avoid problems with the law. with a quality certificate, you can, for example, in the ShopShoker online store. We work only with reliable manufacturers whose products are permitted to be sold in the Russian Federation.

There is a myth that a shock to the heart can lead to death. However, numerous tests and trials on volunteers refuted it. After dozens of beats of varying duration, the heart continues to function normally. The effectiveness of a stun gun when meeting aggressive dogs A stun gun allows you to protect yourself not only from unfriendly people, but also from aggressive dogs. Devices of any class are suitable for scaring away stray animals. Dogs are afraid of stun guns for three reasons.

  1. Loud sound. Aggressive cracking can scare almost any dog.
  2. The smell of ozone. During the discharge, a chemical reaction occurs, resulting in the release of ozone. Dogs really don't like this smell.
  3. Bright flash.

5 myths and truth about shockers

Attention

A long arc of electricity sparkling in the night quickly puts animals to flight. However, it is worth remembering that stun guns are created to neutralize people. Dogs are more susceptible to shock and may die after being shocked.


One thing is certain, to be sure that the stun gun is safe and legal, you should only purchase certified products with a guarantee. This will avoid problems with the law. You can buy a stun gun with a quality certificate, for example, in the ShopShoker online store.
We work only with reliable manufacturers whose products are permitted to be sold in the Russian Federation.

The whole truth about the shocker. Can you kill a person with a stun gun?

Electroshock devices have long been a part of everyday life as a means of protection against animal attacks and aggression. If you do not have this device, but you have already decided to buy a shocker in St. Petersburg or Moscow, then you should know how to use it correctly.


These rules are quite simple. Actions with a stun gun in dangerous situations. If you are threatened, then you need to unobtrusively approach the enemy at arm's length, and preferably unnoticed, lean the electrodes against his body and immediately press the button.


At this moment, there is absolutely no need for excitement; you need to remain calm and self-controlled. Places most sensitive to shock.

high voltage and more

Info

And the power of the shocker should be enough (and is enough) precisely for a person to enter this shocked state, but quickly enough (maximum 10 minutes) to come out of it without consequences for health. This is quite enough for the injured party to have time to escape or take safety measures; no more is needed.


However, people with serious cardiac diseases and do not attack passers-by in gateways. Myth No. 2. Since a shocker does not kill, it means it is a weak and ineffective weapon.

The non-lethality of electroshock weapons, along with information about strict medical restrictions regarding the technical characteristics of shock guns, has given rise to another myth, the opposite of the first. A stun gun can be called “weak” only in relation to the weapon’s ability to kill. Yes, a stun gun does not kill - but this does not mean that it is ineffective.

Impact with a stun gun

Upon contact with an enemy, an electric discharge will pass through his body and hit you. Often in movies I show how a policeman fires a stun gun at a criminal and he falls, beautifully sparking discharges all over his body.
This is how this myth was born. What's really going on? Even if you are in contact with the enemy (holding each other’s hands or “hugging”), you can safely use a shocker! The electric discharge passes along the shortest path, that is, between the electrodes of the shocker. Accordingly, only your opponent will receive the blow, and only in the place where you “poked” him with the shocker.
On Youtube, on the official channel of the manufacturer http://www.youtube.com/user/SuperElectroshok or on the website shoker.ru you can watch many video tests of stun guns. There is also a video that clearly destroys this myth. A man holds a metal knife and applies a stun gun to it.

Important

Stun guns » Articles » Impact with a stun gun A stun gun is an effective means of self-defense. Despite the large amount of information, people are still influenced by myths.


And the same questions come up all the time. Therefore, we decided to collect the most popular of them and give detailed answers. How does a stun gun work? After being hit with a stun gun, a person experiences temporary paralysis. Within 10-30 minutes he will be disoriented and unable to take any action. If the stun gun was powerful, the person will experience severe muscle pain.

Control brain signals are also suppressed, and the amount of carbohydrates that muscles need for movement drops sharply. The level of aggression also decreases, and drunk people quickly sober up.

The severity and duration of the reaction to a shocker depends on the class of the device.
The discharge hits only the place where he applied it, which can be seen from the sparks between the electrodes of the shocker. Outside this place, the discharge does not spread; the person calmly holds the metal object with his hand. For the same reason, the myth that a stun gun cannot be used in the rain or even just in wet weather turns out to be untenable. Like, if the shocker is wet, or if you take it with a wet hand, then the discharge will hit you, not your opponent. Myth No. 5. A stun gun is only effective if applied to a naked body or through thin clothing. In winter, through a jacket or sheepskin coat, the enemy will not even feel the discharge of the shocker. Of course, Russian manufacturers are aware that it’s far from summer here. all year round, and that Russians wear warm outerwear 6-9 months a year.

  • Do not place the stun device against the head or heart area.
  • If there are several attackers, then reaction speed is important: with good practice, you can hit three or four aggressors in a few seconds.
  • For persons under the influence of alcohol or drugs, a shock of 3-4 seconds is sufficient.
  • If the aggressor is a dog, then the shocker is effective when used in a non-contact form: a sufficient idle discharge so that the dog gets scared and hides.
  • Provided you purchase a quality product, “recoil” from the shocker is excluded.
  • The use of the device on minors, pregnant women and mentally ill individuals is prohibited.
  • It is prohibited to turn on the shocker in rainy weather.
    • What you need to remember.

Stun gun - effective remedy for self-defense, not leading to death. Affordable and easy to use, it can truly prevent any attack and save a person’s life.

When self-defense with a stun gun, the attacker experiences state of shock. The body's protective reaction to aggressive influences from the outside, in in this case, is formed due to discharge damage electric current. It is thanks to this state that the attacker loses the opportunity to continue his actions. What does the state of shock manifest itself in and how is it expressed? When injured by an electric current discharge, a sharp acute painful sensation throughout the body, which causes a state of shock throughout the entire body. Reflexes disappear, consciousness is lost. The muscles contract, breathing quickens, orientation in space and the ability to move are lost.

These parameters are always indicated in the technical specifications for the device. Powerful shockers can easily handle a down jacket, sheepskin coat or fur coat.

Is it safe to use a stun gun in the rain? Atmospheric precipitation does not affect the effectiveness of using a stun gun. It is suitable for defense even during heavy rain.

It's completely safe. Is it possible to get an electric shock from an opponent? During a shock, the victim's body completely absorbs the electrical discharge. Therefore, you cannot be harmed by the enemy. The only exception is the unlikely case when both people are in a filled bath. Is it possible to die after being hit with a Taser? Manufacturers of stun guns draw up a medical and biological report before releasing a model. Only on this basis is the device certified. This confirms that the stun gun is completely legal, which means that its impact cannot lead to death.

Stun guns are one of the most popular means self-defense for now.

They became widespread due to the lack of special permission for their acquisition and use.

But is a stun gun justifiably considered a safe means of self-defense? Let's try to understand how the action of a stun gun affects the human or animal body.

What types of stun guns are there?


Stun guns vary both in their power and in the duration of contact. In general, they can be divided into three categories:

  1. Regular shockers, which serve as a means of repelling both animals and people. The current voltage in them is less than 35 kilovolts, so there is no strong physical action they don't provide. The maximum effect from such a device is slight numbness in the limbs and fear from loud sound and flashes.
  2. Disorientators- These are stun guns with a voltage of 35 to 50 kilovolts. The use of this shocker may leave traces in the form of a small red burn if the blow falls on an open area of ​​skin. Also, the consequences of a shock with such a shocker are noticeable pain for 10-15 seconds, disorientation in space and inhibition of movements for a short time.
  3. Professional shockers voltage up to 60 kilovolts. Used to neutralize the enemy for a sufficiently long time for a long time. Loss of consciousness and paralysis from a powerful electric shock can last up to half an hour.

Also, stun guns can be divided into contact and contact-remote. The first type of shocker is effective only in direct contact with the enemy’s body.

For desired effect you need to get close enough to the person, lean the shocker and hold it for a few more seconds.

In the second case, a socket is installed between the electrodes of the stun gun, from which, when fired, the electrodes fly 10-15 centimeters apart and hit the enemy. This shocker can be used both in close contact and at a distance of up to 4 meters.

Expert advice: In order for the use of a contact stun gun to be as effective as possible, it is best to either “lean” on the attacker or use a grappling technique. If upon contact with the body you do not hear the sound of a discharge, it means that the entire charge has gone into the enemy’s body, and you used the shocker correctly.

Is the impact of a stun gun on a person dangerous?

Experts answer this question unequivocally - no.

By at least, in Russia, unlike European countries or America, not a single death has been registered.

In our Russian stores you can only buy a certified self-defense product that strictly complies with Russian regulations in terms of its power.

And if the voltage in the device increases, then the current strength, the effect of which is what leads to death, decreases significantly.

That is why even the most powerful shocker can only knock out a person for a while.

Important to know: When using any type of shocker, it is important to understand the principle of their operation. If used incorrectly, there is a risk that the enemy, reacting in time, will knock the shocker out of your hands, use it against you, or you will harm yourself with your own blow.

Moreover, in terms of the consequences of use, a stun gun is safer than a gas or traumatic gun.

Is it possible to kill an animal with a stun gun?

Most often, a conventional stun gun is used to scare away stray, aggressive dogs.

A loud, unpleasant sound, sparks, and the smell of ozone can really drive your dog away from you, without having to have close contact with it.

However, if an aggressive animal attacks, there is an option to hit the dog in the head or nose with a stun gun - if the device is powerful enough, this blow will be fatal for the dog.

The effect of any stun gun is tolerated by animals heavier than humans. There are known cases when even bulls or orangutans were stunned with the help of a stun gun.

There are stationary high-power electroshock devices that are used on farms and households for slaughtering livestock or poultry.

This shocker can easily kill both a chicken and a large pig by attaching electrodes to the animal’s head.

Not everyone knows that you can make a stun gun with your own hands at home; a craftsman from the following video will tell you how to cope with this task: