LONDON, England - May 28, 2010 - Tasers are being used on elderly people and children, figures revealed on Friday.

Hundreds of teenagers and more than 40 pensioners have been fired at or threatened by police armed with the electric stun weapons.

Among those hit with a 50,000-volt shock were a frail 89-year-old man and a girl aged just 14.

The figures raised fears the weapons are being overused.

Critics warned they were “potentially lethal” and could be more dangerous when targeted against vulnerable people.

Each gun delivers a powerful electric bolt along copper wires linked to two darts that can travel up to 25 feet.
It overrides the central nervous system and causes uncontrollable muscle contractions, making the suspect collapse.

National police guidance suggests officers should be “vigilant” when considering whether to stun a child.
But figures released under the Freedom of Information Act showed that 59 under-18s were shot at over a 30-month period.

More than 120 others, including a boy of 12, had the weapon aimed at them by police.

The statistics for older people are no less shocking. A total of 18 over-60s were hit by Tasers and a further 24 were targeted or had a gun drawn on them between July 2007 and December last year.

The oldest was an 89-year-old war veteran who was threatening to cut his throat with a piece of broken glass.
North Wales police said he was tasered for his own safety. The retired carpenter, who was apparently suffering from the onset of Alzheimer’s disease, was left traumatized.