After the elderly woman approached officers and refused to put the knife down, police say an officer shocked her with a stun gun. She was heading towards the police when she was shocked. But it’s fair to say it’s moving slowly,” said NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Peter Cotter. “She was walking with a frame. She did, however, have a knife.
The AP estimates that Rowland weighs 95 pounds and is 5-foot-2. She was tasered, and when she hit the ground, her skull hit the ground. She had a broken skull and is not expected to survive, according to Andrew Thaler, a family friend of the great-grandmother.
He says the community is furious and the family are surprised and bewildered. Why does this happen? How would you explain this power? It’s ridiculous. According to police, the cop involved has 12 years of service and was removed from active duty.
Rowland is widely known in the neighborhood, according to Thaler. She celebrated her 80th birthday in 2008 by making a television appearance while skydiving over Canberra.
Rowland should have been given “compassion and time”, according to Nicole Lee, head of the Australian disability advocacy group, instead of being shocked. “She’s either a nimble, fit, quick and intimidating 95-year-old, or there’s a lack of judgment on these officers and they really need to be held to account,” she said.