Man Plummets Off Balcony After Police Fire Taser At Him

GRAPHIC CONTENT WARNING: A man fell from the third floor after a dramatic standoff with police this morning

Toronto police fired a Taser and a man dropped from a third-storey balcony after a dramatic standoff early Monday morning.

Ontario's Special Investigation's Unit, a watchdog that looks into serious injury, death or assault involving police officers, is investigating the incident.

Daniel Wright, 42, was put on a stretcher and rushed to Sunnybrook hospital after he fell an estimated 9 metres to land on concrete around 5:30 a.m. He was in stable condition on Monday evening.

Video of the incident shows that the man was crouched when a Taser was fired towards him. Then the man moved to the edge of the balcony and fell.

Earlier that morning, police from 12 Division responded to a 911 call for a domestic incident on the fourth floor at 1765 Weston Rd., a highrise apartment building.

A neighbour who lives on the fourth floor said she woke up to banging around 1 a.m. She heard a man's angry voice in the hall. She opened her door and saw a police officer on the floor. Shortly after, the building's fire alarm went off.

When she went out to her balcony, she saw a man on the balcony of a third apartment directly below. She said the man was taunting the police.

"I guarantee you won't get me," she said she heard him say.

The man was screaming and yelling obscenities at police, according to residents who had gone downstairs to watch the scene unfold after the fire alarm went off.

The man was straddling the cement ledge and threatening to jump, residents said. Firefighters and EMS were also on the scene.

The Emergency Task Force was called for assistance. A negotiator tried to coax the man away from the ledge for about four hours.

When police fired the Taser, the fourth floor neighbour heard a "zap" and a "commotion," she said. She returned to her balcony and saw the man on the ground below, surrounded by emergency officials.

Juan Bayas, who is in charge of maintenance at the building, said the man had been living at the building for about two or three months. He might have been living with a female friend during this time. Bayas did not know the suspect very well.

"He didn't really talk to anybody," he said.

This marks the second time in recent years that someone has fallen from a balcony of the identical towers on Weston Rd. when police were on the scene. A teenager fell to his death from the 24th floor of neighbouring 1775 Weston Rd. after police had been called to the apartment in 2007

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• police
• fire
• through
• dance
• cops
• flames
• walk
• crime
• dragonforce
• fire flames
• through fire
• walking
• run
• glass
• tunnel
• thru
• going
• eyes
• journey
• walk through
• window
• intro
• drive
• running
• herman

[TheMetsfan1962]

Looks like he jumped by choice.

[toddomy]

@mdiggymac

stung guns don't kill - FALSE.

google "Michigan: Autopsy confirms police taser responsible for teenager’s death"

stun guns don't affect breathing - FALSE.

stun guns don't affect the heart - FALSE.

google "braidwoodinquiry medial risks"

IF you want facts, read scientific and medial reports on the device NOT

the manufacturers information. It's called research dude, look into it.

lots of RESEARCHED facts in the braidwood inquiry medical risks.

[Archaition]

It's ok I didn't feel anything we got him good job guys - Peptalk after the incident.

[EzekielExtrensic]

This is in response to mdiggymac, I read his research, it states that stun guns dont affect breathing on humans. On animals yes. also the number of times they were talking about tasing people and the lengths they were talking about is excessive. Tasers give a 5 second ride at which point officers/security see if the person is still going to resist or have them already handcuffed. I dont know were he read the taser manual. But it states that it can affect the heart 1 in 100,000.

[glasnya]

he jumped by choice

hope he wont sue the cops claiming its cops fault

[mdiggymac]

@lansky81beatz how come u have not made a response yet? is it because you realize that I do know what i am talking about and do know the actual facts about a taser and its uses and you really have no idea about it at all and just want to try to sound smart? Go back to your parents basement and do a little more Google searches and research FACTS before you spout off at the mouth.

[CamMacrap]

I was in the hospital visiting my best friend. This guy was in the bed beside him hes a good ol funny guy. glad i found this video ahahahaha

[sentry777]

so much better to kill with a taser, no blood to clean up

[666andthensome]

@mdiggymac I accidentally voted your post DOWN, I meant to hit UP -- and now YOUTUBE won't let me undo it -- anyway @lansky81beatz is ridiculous, clearly visible in the video, the man isn't making any threats, and he gets tasered... then there's the "fight or flight" response, you hit someone who is emotionally disturbed with a taser, no wonder they go sailing off a balcony.