Taser Death: Christopher Wright (Seattle WA)

This blog has been tracking taser-related deaths in the United States over the past couple of years. I missed this one earlier in the year. I wish I missed it on purpose ... but, that wasn't the case. I simply missed it.

Why do I wish I had missed it on purpose? Because, from all indications the guy who died as a result of the taser electrocution by police was a seriously lousy guy. Christopher Wright is the the man who was tasered by police after he allegedly attempted to rape a woman in a Seattle hotel. [SOURCE]

On February 28, a manager at north Seattle's Everspring Inn allegedly found Wright attempting to sexually assault a woman in a hotel hallway. After dosing him with pepper spray she called the police.

According to the official incident report, the 48-year-old became "belligerent" upon being confronted by police and began shouting incoherently. He allegedly struck several of the officers attempting to take him into custody, and at some point, police shot him with a taser gun.

Wright died on March 5th at Harbor View Hospital. Following his arrest, police transported him to Harbor View on the suspicion that he'd overdosed on some as-of-yet unnamed drug. He was later listed as being in serious condition.

A spokesman for the King County Medical Examiner's office says that its report on Wright's official cause of death won't be available for 8-10 weeks, pending toxicology tests. As per department policy, the officer's use of force is now being reviewed, police say.

Wright's family tells SeattleCrime that they don't know why the father of four was at the Everspring on the night of his arrest, and that they are still looking for answers on what might have led to his death.

Wright's brother, Reece Wright, did let slip that Christopher suffered from several medical conditions, including asthma and HIV.

"If someone sprayed stuff in his face he wouldn't have been able to fight," he says.