Death by Cop- 2024
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Dennis Ryan Thornton
Case # :306
Gender : Male
Age : 43
Race : White
Date : 08/06/2024
Location : Interstate 35 near Posey Road
City : San Marcos
County : Hays
State : Texas
Agency : San Marcos Police Department
Officer(s) :Not Disclosed
Cause of death : Taser
Event : Died during arrest from taser and unknown mechanisms
Open records summary :
Dennis Thornton was allegedly intoxicated and throwing things from an overpass. Police arrived, shot him with a taser. Police claim he “resisted” and an unknown number of officers allegedly restrained him in a “wrap.” It is unclear whether this is a BOLO wrap or what type but some type of tying or hog-tying device was applied. He died during arrest. Police blamed his death on intoxication and the fact that he had walked for a long distance on the highway prior to police assault. Snare wraps, tasers and violent arrests are known to kill people commonly. It is unknown what role walking for miles or intoxication had to do with his apparently physically violent death in police custody. Police claim that his body temperature upon death was 108 degrees. Tasers and certain drugs can enhance this scenario but one must consider the apparently considerable physical violence as police and taser as well as police are presenting “excited delirium”, intoxication and heat exposure as cause of death of a man who was subjected to taser electrocution and a violent arrest just prior to death. Excited delirium is not considered to be a valid medical diagnosis by the medical community but this bogus diagnosis is commonly used by police to blame deaths in police custody on.
Source links :
https://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local/article/smpd-arrest-death-19626912.php
https://www.sanmarcosrecord.com/news/smpd-releases-more-details-custody-death
