Naked man chasing woman’s car dies after campus police tase him, Texas cops say
A nude man accused of chasing a female driver early Tuesday morning in El Paso has died after police used a Taser on him for being combative, the University of Texas at El Paso Police Department said.
A 911 call was placed around 3:30 a.m. from a woman who was driving in the 3000 block of Sun Bowl Drive, saying that a naked man was running after her car near the intersection of North Mesa Street, according to police. When UTEP Police responded, authorities say the man was being aggressive, so a Taser was used on him.
Officers then called for EMS crews after the man was “unconscious and unresponsive.” He was then transported to University Medical Center where he was pronounced dead. Police have not yet identified the man.
While it’s unknown how the man died or whether he had any underlying physical or mental conditions, the safety of electronic control devices (ECD) like Tasers have been called into question. In a 2012 study by the American Heart Association, it was determined that ECD stimulation “can cause cardiac electrical capture and provoke cardiac arrest.”
The man’s death is currently being investigated by the Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas Rangers, the release reported.