Could a Cop REALLY Mistake a Gun for a Taser?
Could a Cop REALLY Mistake a Gun for a Taser? After Daunte Wright was gunned down by a Minnesota police officer over the weekend, Chief Tim Gannon told the media…
A police officer demonstrates the handling of an Taser on January 15, 2021 in Dortmund, Germany. Police in North Rhine-Westphalia will begin using the Axon Taser 7 electroshock devices in a two-year pilot project, after which authorities will assess whether the devices will become standard issue. Similar pilot projects are underway in other German states. (Photo by Sascha Schuermann/Getty Images)
Could a Cop REALLY Mistake a Gun for a Taser?
After Daunte Wright was gunned down by a Minnesota police officer over the weekend, Chief Tim Gannon told the media Officer Kim Potter had made a mistake: Instead of grabbing her Taser, as she had intended to do, she drew her gun and fired at the 20-year-old, killing him.
But is such a mistake possible? Yes, says one expert on police psychology. Bill Lewinski says the mistake can occur when an officer is under a great deal of stress. Moreover, officers spend a lot more time practicing with their firearms, making the weapon a more natural go-to in times of peril, Lewinski says.
A 2012 story in the law journal Americans for Effective Law Enforcement says at least nine similar cases were documented between 2001 and 2012.
Gannon and Potter announced their resignations Tuesday after city officials voted to relieve them of their duties. An investigation into the incident is underway, according to authorities.
Why do Tasers look and feel even remotely similar to guns?
