Taser Death: Daniel Joseph Barga (Cornelius, OR)

Our blog missed this taser-related killing when it first occurred last month. We now have 72 people dead as a result of being shot by taser guns in America over the past 16 months. That is an average of a death per week. Despite the taser-incident at the Philadelphia Phillies baseball field the other day ... this ain't no joking matter. People are dying!

Daniel Joseph Barga died on April 10, after being taken into custody by Oregon police officers from Cornelius and nearby Forest Grove. [SOURCE]

Cornelius Officer Mark Jansen, a 14-year law enforcement veteran and Taser instructor with the department, Forest Grove Police Sgt. Dean Foster, a 25-year law enforcement veteran, and Officer Scott King, a nine-year law enforcement veteran, were suspended from duty while the investigation into the death of Barga took place.

Police were called to a house at about 3 a.m. April 10, after a report of a disturbance in the backyard. The homeowner told Jansen that a partially clothed man had confronted him, and was behaving erratically and threatening violence.

Jansen found Barga in the backyard covered with blood and refusing to cooperate. Jansen used a Taser, which delivers a 50,000-volt shock, in an effort to subdue Barga, police said.

Barga reportedly resisted as Jansen tried to wrestle him to the ground, according to police. Barga then bolted and ran, not following Jansen's commands to stop, police said.

Foster and King were called to assist and joined the chase after Barga, police said. The officers continued attempts to stop Barga, using Tasers and pepper spray, but he resisted, police said. He then stopped breathing while being taken into custody.

Medics transported Barga to a hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

Human life doesn't mean much in Washington County, Oregon. The County District Attorney, Bob Hermann, doesn't feel that there was any criminal conduct on the officers' part. Hermann and his investigators determined that there was no reason for the officers to remain on suspension, especially because they are from small agencies with a high need for officers. Cornelius has 13 sworn officers; and Forest Grove has 17 sworn officers.

"I can't wait to get an officer back," said Cornelius Police Chief Paul Rubenstein. "There's no indication of wrongdoing on any of the officers' sides. We want to know why someone died just like everyone else."

Police say they believe Barga was under the influence of psilocybin mushrooms at the time of his death, but the results from the toxicology test still may not be available for weeks, authorities said.

Tasers are killing Americans all over the nation ... and all we do is laugh. Very sad...