Taser News

FAU police chief sees need for Tasers

BOCA RATON, FLORIDA - In the wake of Florida Atlantic University's first shooting by campus police, Chief Bill Ferrell said Thursday that he wants to arm his officers with Taser stun guns.

Officer Mary Douglas shot FAU junior Zachary Carroll in the hand and chest early Wednesday after he went on a rampage, bashing windshields and car windows, smashing a stop sign and lunging at her.

Carroll, 21, was in fair condition Thursday at Delray Medical Center, a hospital spokeswoman said.

Ferrell, who became chief last month, said he heard that the previous police administration talked about equipping officers with the dart-firing electric weapons, but did not make a purchase.

A campus officer wrote a memo about acquiring Tasers and gave it to a prior police chief, but the document never got to the university's chief financial officer, according to FAU spokeswoman Kristine McGrath.

McGrath said she did not know when the memo was written or who was police chief at that time.

The Taser guns shoot two small fishhook-like probes delivering a 50,000-volt paralyzing shock. The weapons manufacturer and trainers say police officers should use their judgment when determining whether to use a Taser in place of deadly force.

At least 19 police agencies in Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast have the stun guns.

Ferrell said he wants to buy at least six for his department.

"I can't predict what would've happened 24 hours ago if the officer had the Taser," Ferrell said, adding that it might not have stopped Carroll, who is taller than 6 feet and weighs more than 250 pounds. "But it's definitely a tool we need to look at so we can consider putting it to use."

Carroll has been suspended from the school pending the outcome of an investigation by FAU and Boca Raton police, officials said.

Douglas, who was placed on paid administrative leave, returns to work Monday and will be assigned desk duty until the investigation is complete, Ferrell said.

Douglas, 26, worked as a corrections officer in Miami-Dade County from 2002 to 2005, becoming a certified police officer in June 2004. She started working for FAU police in September and is completing her yearlong probation.

She and another female officer were called to the parking lot of the Indian River Towers dormitory around 12:30 a.m. Wednesday after Carroll swung at the open window of a black Lexus and then jumped on the hood of a Toyota Corolla, slamming his elbow into the windshield.

Witnesses said he also smashed the driver's side window and ripped off the driver's side mirror.

After the officers repeatedly ordered him to stop, Carroll spit and growled at one of them, police and witnesses said. He charged Douglas, who then fired her 9mm handgun, striking him twice. One of the bullets pierced his chest, exited and struck his left arm, police said. The other hit his hand, injuring several fingers.

When reached on his cellphone for comment Thursday, Carroll's father, James, an Oakland Park lawyer, abruptly hung up.

Police are charging Carroll with aggravated assault against a law enforcement officer, resisting arrest with violence, felony criminal mischief and trespass to an occupied conveyance.

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http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/local_news/epaper/2006/02/10/s1b_fauShoot_0210.html