Our plan, to track all incidents of taser torture against black folks....

Have you or a member of your family ever been tasered by the police? Was it reported in the newspaper, police report, or other news outlet? Write: TasedWhileBlack@gmail.com and tell us what happened. Want to make a donation to Tasered While Black? Write us at: TasedWhileBlack@gmail.com We will be glad to hear from you.

Friday, October 8, 2010

Teen with Mind of 7 or 5-year-old Tasered To Death





Patrick Johnson, who had mental-health problems, died after being hit by Taser cartridges during a confrontation with police on Souder Street (background).
Patrick Johnson, who had mental-health problems, died after being hit by Taser cartridges during a confrontation with police on Souder Street (background).

Get this, according to
ABC Local News, and Philly.com, 18-year-old Patrick Johnson, a graduate of Our Lady of Confidence day school, was known in the neighborhood as 'stick boy' because he was always playing or waving some kind of stick. "He's severely retarded. He was having a tantrum and my grandmother couldn't handle him, so she called the police," the teen's cousin Michelle Rynkiewicz said. Rynkiewicz says Johnson had the mind of a 7 or 5-year-old. Relatives say Johnson had a history of volatile behavior and fits of anger and there was never a warning light that went off before it happened. "Very big strong boy and then when he gets excited, the adrenaline pops up and he goes into a rage.


I thought I had him under control, but I guess I didn't," Patrick's stepfather Steve Zielinksi said. Just before 12:30 p.m. Thursday on the 6900 block Souder Street, relatives say Johnson's grandmother caught him trying to light sticks on fire on the kitchen stove and was having a tough time trying to get him to stop.

"He was having a tantrum and my grandmother couldn't handle him so she called police to come out," Rynkiewicz said. Meanwhile, the stepfather says he tried to stop him.

"I got him, pinned his arms behind his back, he broke out. By that time, the cops were here. The cops told him four times to drop the sticks or they were going to Tase him. He lunged at the cops and they Tased him," Zielinksi said.


Zielinski says Johnson then broke through a basement door that was locked, ran down the steps and collapsed. He was rushed to Nazareth Hospital where he later died.


"I can't believe he's gone," Zielinksi said.


Tasers have become a tool that more law enforcement agencies have come to rely on. Every time an officer pulls the trigger, 50,000 volts are injected into the target. More HERE

We usaully cover incidents involving the tasering of black folks, but this one has to be reported, even though the person killed was not black.

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