San Fernando cops break car window, Tase man to save his life

San Fernando police tased a man who allegedly tried to harm himself in a car in the district on Saturday.

At around 10.12 am, police on patrol responded to a call for backup at Sunstone Crescent, Union Hall in San Fernando.

When they arrived, they met  colleagues on the scene, a police release said on Sunday.

The police said the man had been throwing glass bottles and other objects at passers-by and neighbours and their property for more than 20 minutes.

The man was in the driver’s seat of a grey AD wagon parked in a driveway.

Police said when they approached the wagon, the man closed the window and locked the doors.

They continued trying to speak with him. He allegedly took a knife and started moving the blade across his neck.

An officer broke the left passenger window to prevent the man from harming himself.

The man allegedly lunged with the knife at the officer, who discharged his Taser to try to subdue the man as well as protect himself and colleagues.

The man was taken to the San Fernando General Hospital .

Investigations are ongoing.

Commissioner of Police Gary Griffith included the use of non-lethal weapons like Taser guns as part of the police service’s revamped use-of-force policy.