WASHINGTON, May 30, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- TASER International, Inc. (Nasdaq:TASR), a market leader in advanced electronic control devices, released the following News Alert:
According to reports from the Daily Record in North Carolina, a suicidal man was taken in police custody Friday outside Pat's Grocery in Benson after holding a loaded .25 caliber handgun to his head and directing it at police. Larry Raymond Spencer, known to police as "Sweet Pea," was found on his knees in a church parking lot next to the grocery store holding the gun. Police tried to speak to Spencer but he refused to communicate. Pat's Grocery owner Kenneth Blackmon Sr. told officers that Spencer, who lives in a recreational vehicle beside the store, was on several medications for seizures.
The standoff, which lasted approximately 30 minutes, ended when Spencer stood up and starting walking with the loaded gun toward the van where Benson Police Chief Kenneth Edwards and Officer Shelia Massengill were taking cover. About four feet from police, Spencer raised his weapon. Chief Edwards responded by firing his TASER electronic control device to subdue Spencer and retrieve the gun. Officers were armed with lethal weapons but were not forced to use them because of the effectiveness of the TASER device.
"In his mental condition he was a threat to himself and others," said Chief Edwards "I'm just glad the Taser was available."
Spencer was transported to Johnston Memorial Hospital and was later transferred to Johnston County Mental Health where he is being held. No charges are planned to be filed.
"Any time you have a loaded gun in the hands of a disturbed person it's dangerous. Mr. Blackmon, the officers or any of the bystanders could have been injured," said Benson Mayor Jerry B. McLamb. "This situation is a good example of how these devices are used to handle situations without loss of life."
This information was compiled through publicly available media reports and distributed by Dittus Communications, Inc. of Washington, D.C.
TASER International, Inc. and Dittus Communications, Inc. disclaim any responsibility for the accuracy of the media reports that are the sole responsibility of the attributed media source.
For more information on this life saving technology, please visit: www.TASER.com.
The TASER International logo is available at http://www.primezone.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=2931