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Campbell River RCMP officers Taser woman attempting suicide

Efforts to get her to drop knife abandoned when she begins using it on herself
60983campbellriverRCMP_TASER
One of two models of Conducted Energy Weapons

Campbell River RCMP officers had to intervene with a conducted energy weapon (CEW), or Taser, to prevent a woman from killing herself with a knife early this morning.

At 2:20 a.m. today, Campbell River RCMP responded to a call to assist BC Ambulance Service Paramedics at a residence on the Island Highway.

When they got there, police found a suicidal woman holding a knife and making threats to harm herself, said Cpl. Gord Hay of the Campbell River RCMP. During their attempts to de-escalate the situation, the officers made multiple requests for the woman to drop the knife, which she ignored.

When the woman began to “actively harm herself,” Hay said, an officer on scene deployed a CEW, which caused the woman to drop the knife, allowing officers to safely apprehend her under the Mental Health Act. She was subsequently taken to the Campbell River General Hospital for medical care.

The woman did not suffer any injuries as a result of the officers' physical intervention, Hay said, but was treated for non-life-threatening, self-inflicted injuries.

“Sadly, our officers encounter situations like this from time to time, calling on them to use multiple skills in their efforts to end them in a safe manner,” Cpl. Hay said. “It's fortunate that she is now receiving the medical care she requires, and we wish her well in her recovery.”