A 92-year-old amputee man who was armed with a knife in a UK residential care home was maced and tasered by police before dying of COVID-19 after being treated for his injuries, according to reports.
Donald Burgess, who had his right leg amputated below the knee and relied on a wheelchair, lived at the Park Beck Residential Care Home in East Sussex and had a near-fatal encounter with police when they arrived after receiving a call that he had allegedly attempted to stab a facility employee, according to The Sun.
On June 21, 2022, police constables Stephen Smith and Rachel Comotto responded to a “grade one call,” the highest level of emergency, and body camera footage captured the brief but violent encounter.
The cops enter the room and plead with Burgess, who appears to be unaware of the confrontation, to drop the knife, which resembled a butter knife, according to the BBC.
“You going to put it on the ground for me,” Smith said.
“Just chuck it on the ground for us,” Commoto begged, adding, “We do not want to hurt you.”
“Pop it down for me,” Smith added. “Come on, Donald. Put it down. “We can solve this without resorting to this.”
The confrontation then spirals out of control as Smith advances on Burgess, who waves his blade at him.
Smith responded by spraying Burgess with almost an entire can of mace, dousing him in the face and mouth.
Commoto shouts, “Do it now! “Drop the knife!”
Smith then draws his baton and strikes Burgess. “Put it down,” he yelled at the elderly man, according to the footage.
However, he refuses to drop the knife.
Commoto finally tasers Burgess, who lets out a loud moan as his body freezes and the blade falls to the ground.
The nonagenarian was taken to the hospital and treated for his injuries before dying from COVID three weeks later.
Smith and Comotto are on trial on assault charges after attacking Burgess.
Both constables pleaded not guilty to their charges.
Prosecutor Paul Jarvis KC claimed the constables used “unnecessary and excessive” force to restrain the suspect.
“It ought to have been obvious by the fact he had one leg that this was a man who was not going to be mobile,” Jarvis told the jury at Southwark Crown Court on Monday.
“This was an elderly, vulnerable man who may not have understood what was going on.”