Deputies Involved in Tasering Incident on Leave; KBI Investigating

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Posted: 9:20 PM Apr 9, 2008
Last Updated: 7:23 AM Apr 10, 2008
Reporter: 13 News

20 comments

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The Shawnee County Sheriff's deputies involved in a tasering incident at Topeka's Goodyear plant are now on administrative leave.

Shawnee County Sheriff Dick Barta said Wednesday that the action is in keeping with department policy, while the Kansas Bureau of Investigation looks into what happened. Barta says he requested the KBI's involvement.

Security guards called deputies to Goodyear March 29th because they felt 59-year-old Walter Haake, Jr. couldn't safely drive home. Deputies say he resisted their efforts to get him medical attention and they tased him three times.

A coroner's report released Tuesday said Haake's death was accidental - a combination of heart disease and diabetes, and pressure to his torso while being held face down as deputies handcuffed him.

The KBI's report will be forwarded to the Shawnee County District Attorney's office for review.

Full release from Shawnee Co. Sheriff Dick Barta:
The Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office has received several inquiries regarding the Shawnee County Coroners report released April 8, 2008, about the circumstances surrounding the death of Mr. Haake.

It has always been my practice to be forthcoming with information involving the Sheriff’s Office. However in this case I have requested the Kansas Bureau of Investigation to conduct a death investigation. All reports will then be forwarded to the Shawnee County District Attorney for his review.

The officers involved have been placed on administration leave as per our agency policy.

Consequently to protect the integrity of this investigation, it would be inappropriate for this agency to release further information regarding this case.

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Comments are posted from viewers like you and do not always reflect the views of this station.

Posted by: tom Location: riley on Jun 4, 2008 at 09:54 AM
with pay?????not hopfully

Posted by: Robert Location: ArkansasCity,KS. on Apr 17, 2008 at 01:44 PM
Now`s there`s no big talk,followed by lame excuses,the truth is out,now The County Attorney needs to do his job,and charge these IDIOTS,FOR THEIR ACTIONS!Right Jack?

Posted by: cliff Location: wichita on Apr 16, 2008 at 01:49 PM
the reason for the long delay is so people forget.

Posted by: Robert Location: Arkansas City,KS. on Apr 15, 2008 at 05:13 PM
Why is it taking so long for something to be done with this,just like everything else in Kansas,if it involves wrong doing by a state,or county,or city employee,it`s just swept under the rug,with no true feeling of wrong doing,and without consequences! Huh Jack>?

Posted by: cliff Location: wichita on Apr 14, 2008 at 10:07 AM
" to protect and serve" mostly to protect themselves from any possible danger (real or imagined) by using the most force possible without regard to consequenses, since the department and court will always protect them.

Posted by: WSA on Apr 14, 2008 at 07:25 AM
Excessive force for sure, First of all he did nothing wrong by wanting to go home. whether he had taken care of hinself or not, is not the issue here. He didn't want help why should he be made to take help. He wasn't drunk just didn't feel good, I guess it doesn't matter how he was feeling - he won't feel anymore.

Posted by: Wayne Location: Topeka on Apr 14, 2008 at 07:18 AM
A 59 year old man with heart problems could have given the deputies to much of a hassel. Excessive force was used.

Posted by: A Location: Wichita on Apr 13, 2008 at 09:53 AM
What I'd like to know is, if we went back to the time before the police had tazers what would they have done, shot him? Probably not, they would have tackled him down. So, he would probably be alive. I think that those tazers are being use too freely now. I am not against police by any means and I do understand they have to face situations everyday that put their lives in jeopardy. I do wonder how often the tazers are being used as laziness instead of finding some other way to deal with a situation. A lot of people with medical conditions are going to suffer because of this.

Posted by: Anonymous on Apr 11, 2008 at 04:53 PM
The man had a medical condition and the staff knew this, and so did the police so why would you taze a man that is having issues right in front of them? Bad decision on the police.

Posted by: Robert Location: Arkansas City,KS. on Apr 11, 2008 at 11:32 AM
Jack,I`ll never let up on situations like this,where my tax dollars are hard at work,employing ignorance!This is my job as a tax PAYER! And since you are putting a lot of people`s character to the test,Everyone who hard a part in this Man`s unfortunate ending,needs to be real MEN,AND STAND UP FOR THEIR LAZY,IGNORANCE!

Posted by: JC Location: Topeka on Apr 11, 2008 at 09:46 AM
Let us not try and shift blame on to the victim. He did not seek help and then deny it. It would appear that he was unable to recognize that he needed help other than he was sick and wanted to go home. When emergency responders are called for a medical emergency I generally do not expect the individual requiring treatment to be tased, thrown to the ground sat upon and handcuffed. As has been pointed out his car was blocked in, the police had his car keys. Family members could not be found, did not his employer have information as to his medical condition, after all it was plant personnel that declared a medical emergency. So I will try one last time to point out that excessive force was used resulting in the death of an individual that was suffering from an unknown medical condition. Now did the taser kill the man, does it really matter, he's dead. He ended up being killed as a result of actions taken by individuals that were there to protect and serve.

Posted by: Brian Location: KS on Apr 11, 2008 at 09:43 AM
Maybe the police should be tazed 3 times and see what that feels like. HUH??

Posted by: Jack Location: Topeka on Apr 11, 2008 at 07:49 AM
Robert from Ark-City...are you still talking on this? Thought I had you straightened out? And for the record, cops are "tazed" in order to get certified and NOBODY suffers. Many times the officer getting "tazed" is handcuffed while laying on his stomach. Tragic incident, and there will be a conclusion. I believe it will be unfortunate for Goodyear, though. Ya, stay tuned, if your "retired" attention span allows you to...it might take several months. I'll be watching for your comments

Posted by: Hmmm on Apr 10, 2008 at 08:00 PM
Lisa-majority of the time that people with Diabetes act weird or have an altered mentation, it is usually related to low blood sugar, not high.Majority of the time that is caused when people take insulin and don't eat afterwards.The sugar then gets low and they have to have EMS come and give them some D50...basically sugar water...through an IV.It takes a couple of minutes and then they are back to normal.Having Diabetes is not what ultimately killed this man.You also have to wonder if he took care of himself.Everyone wants to point fingers at the sheriffs'.Did Mr.Haake take his insulin and heart meds as he was supposed to?There are many what if's.If Mr.Haake died from blood sugar, then that is what they would have ruled his death.You wrote a life and death situation...well you can't blame everyone else if he wasn't properly taking care of himself.It takes time to die from diabetes...it's not just bam...sugar high or sugar low...fall over and go into cardiac arrest.

Posted by: Robert Location: Arkansas City,KS. on Apr 10, 2008 at 02:39 PM
I`ll try this again too,mine did`nt make it last time either,but more or less what I said was if the County Attorney was going to do his job,and charge these idots with the crimes that they committed,and prove that no one is above the law! That`s the main problem here in Kansas,nobody will just do their job to the best of their ability!

Posted by: Anonymous on Apr 10, 2008 at 02:09 PM
Give it up untill the KBI are done doing what there going to do then do the judging

Posted by: Extremelyfunny on Apr 10, 2008 at 12:25 PM
Little do you MORONS know, officers are tasered when they are hired on. So shut it. Maybe if people would COOPERATE with the law, things like this wouldnt happen.

Posted by: cliff Location: wichita on Apr 10, 2008 at 11:32 AM
I'll try this again, didnt get on last time. so the guy wasnt tased to death, just asfixiated with the usual excessive force.

Posted by: Anonymous on Apr 10, 2008 at 10:56 AM
Tase this deputy and make him suffer.

Posted by: Lisa Location: Topeka,Kansas on Apr 10, 2008 at 10:50 AM
WHATEVER THE OUT COME! There should be NO COVER UP!!! The truth is the truth!! Mr.Haake was a man that suffers from being a Diabetic,when a person Blood sugar is really high,they need people to help him,the man didn't know what he needed because his blood sugar was so high!! He probably needed insulin. And with his heart conditon wasn't a helping factor either. The reason I know so much. My daughter is 10 years old,when her blood sugar is 400 or higher,she goes into mood swings and beside herself, I have to shoot her with 4 units of insulin,then she says she is sorry for acting that way. This happens every time the B.S. is awful high.She fights me at times! DIABETES IS NOTHING TO PLAY WITH, A LIFE AND DEATH SITUATION IF NOT TAKEN PROPERLY CARE OF! BEING TASED 3 TIME, this man would had lived if not tased,being a Diabetic sent him into electrical shock aimed to his heart,the stress of being tased,sent this man to is grave. there should be classes for all about DIABETES!