Seo Hojeong, Park Saehan, Kim Sanghee, Lee Sookyoung, Choi Changho
Division of Forensic Engineering, National Forensic Service, Wonju, Korea.
Department of Architectural Engineering, Kyonggi University, Suwon, Korea.
J Forensic Sci. 2025 May;70(3):e1-e5. doi: 10.1111/1556-4029.15614. Epub 2024 Sep 11.
This study investigates the cardiac safety concerns related to TASER discharges centering on a pivotal case that marked the first TASER-related fatality in South Korea. Employing Pratt et al.'s theoretical framework, the research evaluates the potential for ventricular fibrillation (VF) from these discharges. The methodology incorporated a high-resolution waveform analysis using sophisticated equipment and considered specific incident details, including dart impact locations verified through a forensic examination. A human body impedance of 500 Ω, chosen based on empirical studies and coupled with non-inductive resistance for high-voltage handling, was utilized in the model. By applying a heart-current factor from IEC 60479 standards, the study found a VF risk of up to 5% depending on the impact location and current pathways. In this specific case, although the calculated risk did not exceed critical thresholds, the VF risk was high enough to suggest that TASER discharges played a role in the fatal outcome. This study underscores the importance of dart impact location in TASER safety evaluations, contributing to a broader understanding of TASER cardiac risks and providing a basis to advocate for rigorous safety protocols.
本研究围绕韩国首例与泰瑟枪相关的死亡事件这一关键案例，调查了与泰瑟枪放电相关的心脏安全问题。该研究采用普拉特等人的理论框架，评估了这些放电导致心室颤动（VF）的可能性。研究方法包括使用精密设备进行高分辨率波形分析，并考虑了具体事件细节，包括通过法医检查核实的 dart 击中位置。模型中采用了基于实证研究选择的500Ω人体阻抗，并结合用于高压处理的无感电阻。通过应用 IEC 60479 标准中的心脏电流因子，研究发现根据击中位置和电流路径，VF 风险高达 5%。在这个具体案例中，虽然计算出的风险未超过临界阈值，但 VF 风险高到足以表明泰瑟枪放电在致命结果中起到了作用。本研究强调了 dart 击中位置在泰瑟枪安全评估中的重要性，有助于更广泛地理解泰瑟枪的心脏风险，并为倡导严格的安全协议提供了依据。
