Police stun man who threatened himself

LAHAINA - Maui police have reported that an officer deployed a Taser stun gun to save the life of a 29-year-old man threatening suicide in an incident last week in Lahaina.

Capt. Charles Hirata, commander of the Lahaina Patrol District, said officers were called at about 11:30 p.m. Monday by a woman who reported that her boyfriend was threatening to kill himself.

Officers arriving at the home found the man holding a kitchen knife to his chest and claiming to have swallowed antifreeze, which is poisonous. The knife had a 5-inch blade.

"They were told he was having personal problems," Hirata said.

When the officers were unable to persuade the man to put the knife down, an officer deployed his Taser, knocking the man down and allowing officers to take away the knife.

"The medics were already at the scene. They assisted in removing the probes," Hirata said.

A Taser drives two probes into a subject that emit a high-voltage electric shock that will immobilize and momentarily disable most people.

The man was taken to the Maui Memorial Medical Center emergency room to be examined and treated. Hirata said he did not know the man's condition.