95-year-old woman tasered by police in care home

An elderly woman with dementia is in a critical condition after being tasered by police at a care home in Australia. The police were reportedly called to the nursing home after staff found 95-year-old, Clare Nowland, holding a steak knife.

Family friend, Andrew Thaler, told reporters that Nowland was tasered twice – in the chest and the back – before she fell and sustained a fractured skull. He told BBC News that her family are already grieving as they do not expect her to survive:

The family are shocked, they’re confused… and the community is outraged…How can this happen? How do you explain this level of force? It’s absurd

What do the police say?

New South Wales (NSW) state police issued a statement, saying the woman “sustained injuried during an interaction with police at an aged care facility”. It did not mention a taser being used.

The police reportedly talked to Nowland for several minutes. But after she didn’t drop the knife, and approached the officers, one of them fired a taser at her. Knocking her to ground.

Peter Cotter from the NSW Police Force, tried to explain the incident to journalists on Friday. Video footage of the incident was captured by two police body cameras:

At the time she was tasered she was approaching police. It is fair to say at a slow pace. She had a walking frame. But she had a knife. I can’t take it any further as to what was going through anyone’s mind when he used the Taser

How the community reacted

Australian are outraged at what took place at Yallambee Lodge. Thaler also told the media that Nowland’s family – inlcuding 8 childrens and dozens of grandchildren and great-grandchildren – are taking turns to keep watch by her bedside.

Clare Nowland is reportedly a well-known member of the community. She attracted local media attention when we went skydiving to celebrate her 80th birthday.

The officer who fired the taser has yet to be identified, beyond being a senior constable with 12 years of experience. He has allegedly been taken off duty. Cotter says homicide detective are now involved due to the seriousness of the incident.