Tasering at Phillies Game--Fair or Extreme?

This was posted on the baseball thread, but seems like a separate discussion (really hate those running threads).

Here's the moment in question--incredible photo:



Now there's much debate over whether this was an extreme use of force, or justified. To me, you jump on the field during a game, you get what you get.

Thoughts?

 

Fair.

Keep your ass in the seat.

 

The fear is present in that kid's eyes. He knows the pain train is coming.

 

I'm really uncomfortable with the way police agencies use the taser. It's supposed to be strictly used as an option to use instead of lethal force -- you use the taser instead of shooting someone. That's it. Instead, it's mostly used by cops who are pissed and just want to zap someone.

Having said that, it's a Philly fan. Tase him in his seat, I don't care.

 

I would hazard a guess that they are also found to be in high use by cops who are out of shape and don't feel like chasing somebody.

 

I'm waiting for the day when a cop tries to taze a kid who gets too close to a player and accidentally zaps the player.

 

The sheer entertainment value of the resulting YouTube videos makes me support the use of tasers.

Don't tase me, bro? Classic!
Naked wizard with extremely small penis? Hilarious!
Grandma refusing to sign a traffic ticket? I'm still laughing!

Clearly, police are too eager to use their tasers, but I've yet to see a video where a person wasn't being a total asshole when they got shocked. Does being an asshole deserve a tasing? Probably not. Still, it's hard for me to have sympathy for these morons.

 

It's really as simple as that. You do what this guy did, you deserve what you get.

 

Another lazy fucking cop who can't be bothered to do his job properly. Totally inappropriate. It's a kid running onto a baseball field, not some guy with a knife in a dark alley.

We've already had our fair share of taser use up here by the Mounties and they've had their wrists slapped over one incident in particular--causing the death of a poor guy at the Vancouver airport.

 

The 1%:



Not worth the risk.

 

I give the cop a thumbs up. Bring his punk ass down as quickly as possible for the safety of all involved.

You don't know if he is just a moron looking for attention or out to attack someone on the field. You can't assume he is unarmed.

You tell him to stop in his tracks and he keeps running? Taster him and drop his ass to the ground immediately.