Luis Alberto Luna died after being hit by a Miami police officer’s stun gun
A cop has been caught on bodycam tasering a homeless man who was threatening to stab himself with a knife – but he died moments later.
Police were called out to Northeast 79th Street, in Miami, early Sunday morning to reports of a man wandering in and out of traffic.
Body camera footage showed the moment officers caught up with 38-year-old Luis Alberto Luna as he sat on a bus bench.
Luna was seen unfurling a bandana and pulling out a pocket knife before making stabbing motions at himself and threatening to hurt himself.
Several Miami officers surrounded him and repeatedly ordered Luna to drop the knife.
When he refused, an officer stunned him with her taser.
Moments later, as police attempted to restrain him, he became unresponsive.
He was pronounced dead an hour later at the hospital.
Deputy Police Chief Ronald Papier said the officer had employed the ‘non-lethal’ weapon to try to stop Luna from hurting or killing himself.
Police were called out to Northeast 79th Street, in Miami, early Sunday morning to reports of a man wandering in and out of traffic
Body camera footage showed the moment officers caught up with 38-year-old Luis Alberto Luna as he sat on a bus bench
Luna was seen unfurling a bandana and pulling out a pocket knife before making stabbing motions at himself and threatening to hurt himself. Several Miami officers surrounded him and repeatedly ordered Luna to drop the knife
Tragically, he died,’ Papier added.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating.
The seven officers involved were administratively reassigned until Wednesday.
An official cause of death has not yet been released but taser-related deaths are often caused when the victim has also consumed drugs. The taser hit can then cause a condition called ‘excited delirium’ where the body overheats.
When he refused, an officer pulled out her stun gun and threatened to taser him
After Luna continued to hold the knife, the officer fired with her taser
Moments later, as police attempted to restrain him, he became unresponsive