Conn. police more likely to use stun guns on minorities

(AP) — Hispanics shot with stun guns by police in Connecticut in 2015 were more likely to be fired upon multiple times than other racial groups, according to an analysis released Thursday of the first statewide data of police stun gun use in the United States.

In cases where police pull stun guns, the report says officers also were more likely to fire them in confrontations involving minorities, as The Associated Press first reported in January after obtaining preliminary data collected from police departments around the state.

"With this basic information you can start asking more questions and figure out whether policies governing Tasers need to be modified," said Michael Lawlor, Connecticut undersecretary for criminal justice policy and planning.

In 2013, Taser International Inc., a leading maker of stun guns, advised law enforcement officials to try to avoid using stun guns on people who are impaired from alcohol, drugs or certain medications, because of the risk of injury or death posed by electric shocks to their bodies.

Data analysts noted that several federal courts have questioned the constitutionality of using stun guns on people to secure their own safety or to transport them to hospitals, which some Connecticut officers did in dealing with emotionally disturbed people.