Mounties said too hasty in stun gun death

OTTAWA, Dec. 9 (UPI) -- Royal Canadian Mounted Police use of a stun gun on a man who died at the Vancouver airport in 2007 was "premature and inappropriate," a commission said.

The Commission for Public Complaints, an independent part of the RCMP, issued its findings in the death of Polish immigrant Robert Dziekanski, who was shot with a Taser five times in 31 seconds.

The report stated 23 findings and made 16 recommendations involving the actions of four officers who responded to a call that 40-year-old Dziekanski was behaving erratically on Oct. 14, 2007.

Among the findings were: No meaningful attempt was made to de-escalate the situation. No warning -- visual or otherwise --was given to Dziekanski prior to him being Tasered. Use of the (Taser) against Dziekanski was "premature and inappropriate."

RCMP Commissioner William Elliott said in a letter to the CPC he is waiting for the final report of a previous inquiry into Dziekanski's death before commenting on the latest report, the Vancouver Sun reported.

Dziekanski, who spoke no English, had been flying for 20 hours and had been at the airport for 11 hours when he was videotaped throwing luggage and yelling before police arrived.