July 28, 2013

Taser Death: John Wrana (Park Forest, IL)

It happened again! Unidentified Park Forest (IL) police officers couldn't handle the disrespect that they received from an angry 95-year old John Wrana at Victory Centre, a senior living community -- so they killed him.  

Yep, you read me right ... the guy was 95-years old! Older than your grandparents. Heck, he is probably older than your great-grandparents would be if they were still living. What was the punishment for disrespecting the police? They electrocuted him to death with their taser guns ... and then for good measure fired some bean bags into the elderly man.

John Wrana was ornery. Most 95-year old folks are ornery. He was being 'involuntarily' committed for medical treatment by the Victory Centre staff. The private ambulance firm that was onsite called 911 to get assistance from the police with a "combative" resident.

When police arrived, the man was threatening staff and paramedics with a metal cane and a 2-foot metal shoehorn, according to a police press release. Police demanded that he drop the cane and shoehorn, but he did not comply and then picked up a "12-inch butcher type kitchen knife." So, if the press release is to be believed, Wrana, had three (3) weapons in this two hands -- cane, shoehorn and a "butcher" kitchen knife (what the hell is a "butcher" kitchen knife)? Sound credible to you?

Unidentified police officers continued to command the man to surrender and follow their orders. They felt disrespected when he didn't comply immediately. Eventually the police pulled out their taser guns ... pointed the 50,000 volts of electricity at the 95-year old man ... and shot. That wasn't enough. The police then fired bean bag rounds at the man to get him to drop the knife and surrender. He did so and was taken into custody. Shortly, thereafter Wrana was declared dead by the local hospital staff.

What is the justification for electrocuting a 95-year old man? Are the Lake Forest police truly that inept that they can't subdue a man born in 1918 without killing him?

2 comments:

Unknown said...

All - The Cook County Medical Examiner's office says a 95-year-old suburban Chicago man died from being shot with a police bean bag gun.

John Warna died Saturday following a scuffle with Park Forest police, who had to use a Taser and a bean bag gun to subdue him because he was threatening them with a foot-long knife, a cane and a shoehorn.

The medical examiner's office says Monday that Warna died from abdominal cavity bleeding and blunt force trauma from the bean bags. His death was ruled a homicide.

Investigators say Warna became upset after paramedics tried to take him to a medical facility. That's when he used the cane and a two-foot-long metal shoehorn to threaten paramedics and police before grabbing the butcher knife.

Police are reviewing the incident.

Unknown said...

All - His family seeks answers from the police.