Seattle NAACP Leader Does Stunt to Call Attention to Disproportionate Taser Use

Seattle NAACP Leader Does Stunt to Call Attention to Disproportionate Taser Use on Blacks

Although Blacks make up 8% of Seattle - They Account for 45% of Police Taser Incidents

It started with civil rights activist Carl Mack challenging Seattle police on their growing use of Tasers, and police officials defending the electric stun device. It has come to this: Mack, president of the Seattle chapter of the NAACP, and police Chief Gil Kerlikowske each will be shot with 50,000 volts of electricity at 10 a.m. today at police headquarters. Department statistics show that African Americans make up a disproportionate number of those shot with Tasers. A summary report of all incidents of Taser use between 2001 and 2003 shows that 45 percent of the subjects were African American, though they make up just 8 percent of the city's population, according to the 2000 U.S. Census. For these reasons, Mack began meeting with police leaders several weeks ago to voice his concerns. [more