Alberta solicitor general defends Taser use

Alberta's solicitor general defended the use of stun guns by the province's police forces, Thursday.

"I believe the Taser is a tool that's been used very effectively and in a lot of cases has prevented death," Fred Lindsay said.

"These deaths that have occurred, whether it's because of excited delirium or the use of the Taser, I haven't seen a lot of evidence yet come forward that confirms at the end of the investigation that it was caused by the voltage that was put into the person's body by the Taser."

Lindsay said until there is conclusive evidence that stun guns are dangerous, police will be able to use them.

Lindsay's comments come one day after a man died after Edmonton police used a stun gun to subdue him while he was on a rampage in a west end pawn shop.

Trevor Grimolfson, who was originally from Selkirk, Man., worked as a tattoo artist in Edmonton. 

Police were called after a man reported being assaulted by someone at a tattoo store at 153rd Street and Stony Plain Road. 

They found Grimolfson in a nearby pawn shop, and deployed the stun gun twice because he was "combative" with police. He lost consciousness after he was put in handcuffs and was pronounced dead when he arrived at hospital.

Officials can't say what role, if any, the use of the Taser played in Grimolfson's death until an autopsy is complete. 

The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) is now investigating Grimolfson's death.

Team director Clifton Purvis said the investigation will look at how police handled the incident.

"We will independently look at the actions of the police officers involved in this incident and arrive at the truth in relation to what happened," Purvis said. "We'll look into the entire incident, so not only the deployment of the Taser, but the actions of the police officers as they dealt with this individual."

Edmonton Police Chief Mike Boyd told reporters Thursday that police can't comment on the incident until ASIRT has completed its investigation.

"Our service is fully co-operating with ASIRT in this investigation so that they can determine the facts and all of the circumstances surrounding this matter and reach their conclusion, which at the appropriate point I'm certain they'll make clear to the public,"  Boyd said.

The pawn shop incident occurred shortly after Grimolfson reportedly assaulted a man who came to do demolition work at his nearby tattoo shop.

Patrick Saunders said he was attacked by a man who appeared to be agitated, sweating profusely and saying nonsensical things. 

Saunders said the man appeared to be on drugs, and there were narcotics lying around the shop.

Friends have now set up a Facebook site in Grimolfson's memory.