US News
Times Square stabbing standoff highlights factors behind Taser failures, report says
Multiple Taser discharges failed to halt a suspect in New York, according to Fox News.
The short version
- New York police officers deployed multiple Tasers during a Times Square standoff with a knife-wielding suspect, but the devices failed to stop her.[Fox News]
- Experts cited several potential reasons for device failure, including heavy clothing, poor probe placement, substance use, and body composition.[Fox News]
- Medical and law enforcement analysts note that muscle conducts electrical current better than body fat, which can impede probe connectivity.[Fox News]
Key facts
- New York City police officers discharged multiple Tasers during a standoff with Pamela Cisneros after she allegedly stabbed two people in Times Square.[Fox News]
- Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch stated that the Tasers were ineffective as the suspect continued advancing toward officers with knives.[Fox News]
- Standard Tasers operate by firing two barbed probes carrying electrical pulses designed to cause involuntary muscle contractions, according to manufacturer Axon.[Fox News]
- Experts noted common causes for Taser failure include clothing thickness, probe positioning, substance abuse, and high body fat interfering with electrical connectivity.[Fox News]
What remains uncertain
- The specific technical or physiological reason why the deployed Tasers failed to incapacitate the suspect in this incident remains unconfirmed.[Fox News]
Sources
Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.