Deseret News | 14-year-old boy Tasered by Salt Lake police

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14-year-old boy Tasered by Salt Lake police

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RE: Carlo Caroli | 12:52 p.m. Jan. 12, 2009

I agree. The cops should need to wait until after the kid takes out a concealed weapon and kills one of the cops. Only then should they be allowed to take action.

I also agree that more laws need to be passed to take children from their parents if the parents spank them, ground them, or disagree with anything the child does.

This country is all about being able to make any choice you want without any consequences. GO USA!!!

What part of | 12:53 p.m. Jan. 12, 2009

"you're under arrest" is unclear here. The punk kid was told to comply with a lawful order, and he instead chose to defy the order. The consequence isn't a secret......you go the easy way or the hard way. He chose the hard way. It was the kid who chose to defy the order, it was the kid who chose to resist, it was the kid who got the lesson in pain compliance. In my day, the baton would have been used to bring him into custody. These days the Officers have the Tazer to get compliance and forgo the stress and strain of the street fight.

Young man got the consequences of his choices.

The kid's lucky | 1:03 p.m. Jan. 12, 2009

In some foreign countries, this kid would never be heard from again!

Comments continue below

BearOne | 1:06 p.m. Jan. 12, 2009

Previous submit was disallowed because it was apparently too deep for someone to understand---
That said, What part of "please leave the premises" does this punk not understand? I really still think that the officer should have bought him a lollipop and then gone and found the parents and tasered them for raising a brat!
I raised 6 children and can tell you (and they can, too) that if they had ever gotten tasered and I found out---the taser would have been the most enjoyable part of their day!

Dumb kid | 1:10 p.m. Jan. 12, 2009

If they are BRATS then I say taze the delinquents.

Cops | 1:19 p.m. Jan. 12, 2009

are cowards.

I support | 1:36 p.m. Jan. 12, 2009

the fuzz in their decision. I hope the kid learned a valuable lesson. I'm sure his friends were secretly amused.

GET THEIR PHOTO | 1:36 p.m. Jan. 12, 2009

There are too many of these juvenile delinquents out causing chaos at 2:00- 3:00 AM in the morning. We have had to install surveillance crammers because we are so very tired of the graffiti sprayed on trash cans and garages. Enough is enough, of theses evil vandals who don't have respect for anyone's property. Lock them up.

re: ben tazed | 1:37 p.m. Jan. 12, 2009

been tazed not ben tazed, officers, not offecer and either, not eather. perhaps you've been tazed one too many times. To hell with the math, study up on your English.

2 Tired of police abusing power. | 1:43 p.m. Jan. 12, 2009

Too "Tired of police abusing power... | 11:05"

If you're so tired of it, why don't YOU take a shot at what you're saying he should have done.

In a fight both sides usually get in at least one punch (and I assure you they can hurt). Even 14 year olds can do some damage (especially in a gang). Even if you come out the winner you usually end up with some significant boo-boos. Even if he doesn't get a punch in, just taking him to the ground usually causes some injuries to both parties.

I'd like to see YOU go hand-to-hand with the people who decide to take on the cops. Just let this kid take his best shot at you and promise to not use any of the tools you could use to take him into custody without a physical altercation.

You're knee-jerk reaction of automatically being critical of the COP with only the information we have in the report is just amazing.

nat turner | 1:46 p.m. Jan. 12, 2009

Officers should taser all kids who do not immediately run away when the officer approaches . Sure some innocent kids will get a little zap , but the tasers are harmless right ? And who is to say these kids are innocent anyway .

John | 1:47 p.m. Jan. 12, 2009

If these juvenile delinquents are defiant then TAZE them! There is no other way. Some parents need to get a life out there and quit whining.

Think about it... | 1:50 p.m. Jan. 12, 2009

Why does every tazing report automatically generate so many opinion postings???

The Texan | 1:54 p.m. Jan. 12, 2009

!4 yrs. Old ! WOW!!!! Good job Mr Police

Good Taze | 2:02 p.m. Jan. 12, 2009

Snotty brat in mall gets tazed, no one else gets hurt, whiny do-gooders are offended.

I don't see a problem here.

Go for it! | 2:16 p.m. Jan. 12, 2009

Hurray for the cops!

kenny | 2:18 p.m. Jan. 12, 2009

i think that the cop should not have tazed the kid. but the kid should have left when he was told

kenny | 2:22 p.m. Jan. 12, 2009

serves the kid right for not leaving

Dad of Teens | 2:30 p.m. Jan. 12, 2009

The punk kid is lucky he did not get shot. Too bad the cops can't just beat the crap out of the loudmouth kids.

YES!!!! | 2:29 p.m. Jan. 12, 2009

I think more kids should be tazored. No respect

Hey! | 2:33 p.m. Jan. 12, 2009

"Don't taze me bro!" :)

Snowbird | 2:34 p.m. Jan. 12, 2009

Unbelievable. This tasering has got to stop. This is a potentially lethal weapon, and the cops are turning more and more to violent means to control people!How can any of you possibly condone this. Before tasers, the cops used other, more acceptable means to control people. Shame on them, a minor no less

RE: Ben Tazed | 2:33 p.m. Jan. 12, 2009

Sounds like you're due for another. Good for the cops! Keep the little punks in line.

Freshman Teacher | 2:36 p.m. Jan. 12, 2009

I am 6 feet tall and weigh 190 and have about 8 kids that are bigger than I am. If the kid does not follow orders what should the officer do? Wrestle the kid down and have a fight with him? Good job officer!

Gee | 2:58 p.m. Jan. 12, 2009

I'm so glad that so many of you are so much smarter than police. Next time, you get in there and do the job for them. You have NO idea what was involved is even is involved. Mind your own business!

DB | 4:02 p.m. Jan. 12, 2009

The boy deserved it!

The sad part is he probably won't learn his lesson.

Cops justified...PERIOD | 4:09 p.m. Jan. 12, 2009

I work with people like this who don't comply with things we ask them to do sometimes, and we have to use holds and other things to keep them from hurting themselves and others.

Some of you people who think that the kid was abused, "poor and defenseless," or that the officer was being too aggressive need to stop and think about what you're saying.

Tazers, used correctly, can help law enforcement do what they're supposed to do: enforce the law. If police are spending all of their time trying to control defiant bullies who have no respect for authority, is it not going to take away from their ability to do their job in other areas?

Besides, if this officer had used the tazer improperly, it would be a huge controversy. In a crowded mall, there would have been eyewitnesses and probably an internal investigation of the officer involved.

Some people are so quick to play all kinds of cards to justify their bad behavior: the race card, the victim card, the politically incorrect card, the discrimination card, the "poor or working man," etc.

How about the taking responsibility for your actions card?

Marriam | 4:12 p.m. Jan. 12, 2009

Some of these kids have mental problems that extend from their particular dysfunctional family life style. Some of these parents are so full of hate for others that it rubs off onto their children. These kids are very angry kids and hard to handle.

It's good that there are cops out there to protect the innocent people who get in their way, and who can get this sort of kid under control.

Cop Support | 4:35 p.m. Jan. 12, 2009

Tasers are cool! Dude was lucky he didn't grow up when I was a kid...back then it was numchucks, nightsticks or a couple of fists to the face!

Dude could have been packing a gun!....officers were right to use force....gun in my mind would not have been excessive if he was packing and pulled a gun? But who knows whose packing these days....all kids dress and look like criminals!

violent society | 4:37 p.m. Jan. 12, 2009

Wow, I've never seen so many people, so happy that a 14 year old got tasered. You all are just so delighted with what happened. What does that say about you and our society. People should be working to prevent things like this from happening, not delighting in it.

Wow! | 4:42 p.m. Jan. 12, 2009

It sounds like the tazer worked. Took the kid down without any injuries to him, the officer or bystanders.

Maybe I should get a tazer to use on my kids!

Clean your room!!!... Bzzzzt!

Deena | 4:57 p.m. Jan. 12, 2009

I hope it was the same brat that we had to have booted out of a movie last weekend at the Gateway! He was using terrible language and throwing popcorn on grown adults. I would have tazed the punk if I could have! Instead I went and had the manager remove his friends from the theater... He ran out like a fraddy-cat and hid. Some of these kids have zero respect for others, including adults who have authority. Taze on!!!

Jordan T. | 5:12 p.m. Jan. 12, 2009

The 14 year old dude should've gotten socked in the face for not respecting his elders.

Mike | 5:17 p.m. Jan. 12, 2009

To- VIOLENT SOCIETY,

It looks like you could use some TAZING!

Zrko | 5:22 p.m. Jan. 12, 2009

It's kids like him that disturb the peace of our community. Good job officers.

Underdog | 5:29 p.m. Jan. 12, 2009

My advice is to put up surveillance crammers around your homes and businesses to catch these guys who are out causing problems. We need to get these young criminals off the streets, before they are adult criminals and doing much worse.

I am grateful we that have officers out there working on making our streets and neighborhoods a bit safer for the rest of us.

Not like he was 3, people | 5:56 p.m. Jan. 12, 2009

The officer did the right thing. The boy was totally out of control. It's not like he was 3 yrs old. And it's not like the officers didn't take the tasering seriously. Made sure the taser was short and only once, and made sure he was checked medically. That's hardly treating him horribly. Frankly, he doesn't have parents smart enough to keep tabs on him, he's out of control, he's fortunate that's all that happened to him!!!

Not a Wimp | 6:30 p.m. Jan. 12, 2009

I teach over 200 14-15 year olds every school day. Some of my students are HUGE. They could easily go into a store and try to buy beer and smokes from an untrained clerk because they look like they are 30!

I don't think this officer deserves to be called a "wimp" or anything else. If I wasn't able to quickly build trust and have a great working relationship with my students some of them might be very intimidating to me. Police officers don't have the time to do the things that I can do over the course of several weeks in a classroom. They are required to diffuse a dangerous situation in a timely manner.

I don't like the thought of a young person (or anyone for that matter) being tasered. However, I am grateful to law enforcement for their training and efforts in coming face to face with a difficult situation and having the outcome be public safety for everyone and no permanent injury to anyone.

Brooke | 6:32 p.m. Jan. 12, 2009

Police always cover their own. 14 year old who says he didn't do anything is attacked by mall cop. Sounds like child abuse to me. No congradulations is in order for this type of poor police work. People have died from these things.

Get real. | 7:57 p.m. Jan. 12, 2009

If the police come into the mall and ask you to leave, you leave. Whether he did anything wrong himself or he was just hanging out with a bunch of kids that were doing wrong, he should listen to law enforcement. With only the story to go on, in my opinion the kid got what he deserved. I think a lot more kids need to understand that there are consequences for your actions and you can't do anything you want.

Don't taze me | 8:07 p.m. Jan. 12, 2009

I heard he said, "Don't taze me bro." But evidently they did anyway! How would you like it if the cops tazed you?

Walky | 8:16 p.m. Jan. 12, 2009

Since no one knows the size of the boy or the gender of the police officer (if it was a 140 lb. woman and a 200 lb. 14 year old), I think it odd that anyone would voice criticism toward the police officer. Too many people making assumptions and assuming that the police are at fault. Funny thing is that they are likely the same people that would argue that the child is innocent until proven guilty. Did I just make an assumption? ;)

nuts | 8:36 p.m. Jan. 12, 2009

be serious a kid is mad and you tazer him, get real

tazed and amazed | 8:47 p.m. Jan. 12, 2009

To:ben tazed
I have some 14 year olds you would have problems with it dont matter how big you are. The kids now days are stronger faster than before, plus you dont know what drugs if any they are on. You just assume there is something wrong if he has no respect for the law or innocent bystander's. So for safety issues this was the best rather than approaching him, he was well warned before so he picked his poison.

t bone | 8:49 p.m. Jan. 12, 2009

Police show up. Kid says I'm not gonna obey you. Acts like he wants to fight. TAZE HIM. Did he think the cops would say, "ok you're not gonna leave, you win, bye bye."

Anonymous | 9:01 p.m. Jan. 12, 2009

It was about time to tell kids they can't threat the authority and walk away. I also agree that it was handled properly. If the officer decided to take him down, it would had been a catastrophe, the two gangs against the police. He showed he's not a kid the moment he threatened the police. Now, let's read the story to those parents whose little brats run a temper tantrum in the supermarket because mommy or daddy doesn't get what they want. It's time to put this generation back to order.

Eric C. | 9:26 p.m. Jan. 12, 2009

Don't taze me bro!

Milton | 10:38 p.m. Jan. 12, 2009

We have kids in our neighborhood around 13th south 15th east out prowling at night on the weekends, and around 2:00 am. I think they are out spraying trash cans with graffiti. We need a taSer cop over here.

another detail | 12:08 a.m. Jan. 13, 2009

You also have to look at the point that they had to call the cops in to solve the situation...it wasn't just mall security it was bad enough they had to call the cops in. If they have no respect for authority that they have to call in an even higher level then i say the kids deserves it. Oh and just for kicks and giggles Myth Busters did the taser thing. No lasting effects..the dude they tasered had been tasered around 30 times or so.
Anyways if a kid has so much gall, lack of respect, lack of parenting, and pure stupidity to step up to a someone of authority then he needed to be taught a lesson now when he was young so he doesn't become the violent adult that the cops have to use lethal force to control...

awsomeron | 3:24 a.m. Jan. 13, 2009

Time in a juvenile detention facility, with a full Psyche Evaluation might be a good idea. Send the parents the Bill.

Tasers although I approve of them and like them, because they can quickly bring order to a situation that other wise could get out of hand, become violent and lead to serious injury or even death.

Gas does not work so good because, Gas does not just affect the person it is being used on.

I do not for the most part believe that 14 years old Males are very often victims in this sort of situation.

We do not want our Police Force to lack understanding or be totalitarian but they need to be respected and what they say needs to be followed.

I have an issue with Rent A Cops and do not think that they should be Armed in any way ever. Except for Pepper Spray, and they need to have clear training as to which end is front. Also they need to speak English.

However that said they also are vastly mostly do their jobs and need respect.

This Teen needs to get Community Service and Frequent Drug Testing.

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