More than 1,000 people in the United States died following police use of a Taser between 2001 and 2018.
That’s according to a Reuters investigation that examined cases from the 17-year span.
In Arizona, there were 34 such deaths, according to the report.
The database was developed as part of a multi-year Reuters investigation that examined police reports, autopsies, court records and news accounts.
In about 21% of cases where a cause of death was available, coroners or medical examiners cited the Taser as a cause or contributing factor, Reuters reported.Â
A 2008 report by Amnesty International said there were 334 deaths in the United States following police use of Tasers between 2001 and Aug. 31, 2008. The organization later said the number had risen to more than 500 by 2012.
The Reuters investigation found recurring factors in many cases, including involving unarmed individuals or people experiencing mental health or neurological crises.
Other factors cited in the report included repeated Taser discharges, prolonged physical restraint, drug or alcohol intoxication, and injuries sustained after falls.
Reuters described its database as the most comprehensive public accounting of such deaths, noting that no federal agency maintains a complete nationwide dataset tracking fatalities following Taser use.
Taser devices are produced by Axon Enterprise, which is headquartered in Scottsdale.
How many deaths have occurred in your state following the police use of a Taser?
