Rights group condemns use of stun gun on B.C. child

(CTV.ca) The B.C. Civil Liberties Association says it’s concerned about a recent arrest in Prince George, B.C., in which the RCMP used a stun gun on an 11-year-old boy.

In a statement, the Mounties said the child was taken into custody following the stabbing of a 37-year-old man late Thursday afternoon. The boy is a suspect in the case, and the stun gun was used after he emerged from a home next to where the stabbing took place.

David Eby, the association’s executive director, said there would need to be “pretty exceptional circumstances” to warrant firing a stun gun at a child. He wants to know whether the boy was armed at the time.

“When you have someone with very low body mass and hearts that are still developing… if you don’t know what the outcome the device is going to have, including death, then it really should be a last resort,” he told The Canadian Press.

It’s difficult to say how stun guns will affect children, he said, because they are rarely used on them. He also wants to know whether the Mounties could have avoided using force in the case.

“I think the RCMP really needs to do a better job of training de-escalation and avoiding force options, and they’re just not doing a good enough job on it,” he said.

West Vancouver Police are investigating the incident. They were unavailable for comment Saturday.

The stabbing victim is recovering from non-life-threatening injuries in hospital. No information has been released on the condition of the boy, who was taken to hospital “for assessment” following his arrest.

It’s not clear whether the boy has been charged.

The stun gun’s manufacturer, Taser International, maintains that its products are safe.