Don't make a ruckus at Best Buy

Woman tasered at Best Buy
'Tis the season...

By Egan Orion: Friday, 21 December 2007, 9:17 AM


AN IRATE SHOPPER was tasered in front of a crowd of customers at a busy Best Buy store in Daytona Beach, Florida.

Elizabeth Beeland, a 35 year old yoga instructor, reportedly got loud and irate when confronted for using an allegedly "suspect" credit card that was actually hers. A store surveillance video shows her appearing upset, waving her arms.

The video shows that after Beeland turns away, police officer Claudia Wright approaches and immediately tasers her in the abdomen, knocking her down.

Officer Wright said Beeland was "verbally profane, abusive, loud and irate."

Subsequently arrested and taken to jail, Beeland faces misdemeanor charges including disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.

Daytona Beach police chief Michael Chitwood defended his officer's actions, saying "The woman is repeatedly told to cease and desist her conduct and activities. As the officer is trying to approach her, you can see her throw her hands up and her arms flailing. The taser is designed for incidents like that."

The American Civil Liberties Union is reportedly up in arms over the episode.

Neither Beeland nor her lawyer have talked to the press about the incident yet, but it's reportedly the first time any Daytona Beach police officer has deployed their taser on someone without an actual physical confrontation or resistance.

Approximately 300 people have died in the US and Canada following incidents involving use of tasers by law enforcement personnel in just the last few years.

Happy shopping!