A Pima County jail inmate died after he was shocked with Tasers multiple times by corrections officers.
On Aug. 16 just after 7:30 p.m., Pima County corrections officers attempted to move Wade Welch, 37, from one housing unit to another. While they were moving him, Welch refused to enter his assigned cell, a Pima Regional Critical Incident Team news release said.
When officers attempted to restrain Welch physically, one of the officers discharged their department-issued Taser, firing both cartridges with little effect, the news release said. Welch continued to be combative and grabbed the officerβs Taser before being taken to the ground.
While Welch was on the ground, he refused to place his hands behind his back, and a corrections sergeant discharged his Taser and fired both cartridges, which deliver an electrical shock when they contact a person. Since it had little effect again, an officer placed the Taser directly on Welchβs skin and activated it, the news release said.
Officers were able to put a spit hood on Welch and placed him in handcuffs. He was then walked from the upper level to the lower level of the housing unit in an attempt to put him in a restraint chair, the news release said. As officers put Welch into the chair, he became combative and refused to comply with verbal commands, resulting in an officer placing a Taser on his leg and activating it.
Welch then became unresponsive, and officers began life-saving measures. Despite the efforts, Welch was pronounced dead, the news release said.
Welch was initially booked into jail in Aug. 15 on domestic violence disorderly conduct and domestic violence threats and intimidation charges.
As part of the incident team, the Tucson Police Department has been assigned primary responsibility for the criminal investigation. The Pima County Sheriffβs Department Internal Affairs will conduct a separate but parallel administrative investigation to examine the actions of their personnel.
