A man has died after being shot with a Taser when police were called to a suspected burglary.
Officers went to a house in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, shortly after 1am on Monday following calls about a break-in.
When police arrived at the house, the occupants had left but a man was still inside. Officers entered the property and are believed to have used a Taser on the man, who was then put in a police car.
The man became unresponsive in the car and died shortly after receiving treatment from West Midlands ambulance service.
An investigation into the incident has been launched and Staffordshire police said in a statement: “As is normal in a case like this, the incident has now been referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.
“A detailed investigation is under way and the scene will remain cordoned off while the investigation continues. Local officers will be in the community throughout the day, talking to residents.”
Home Office figures released in October showed that the use of Tasers by police had increased sharply.
The electroshock weapons were used more than 5,100 times in England and Wales in the first six months of 2014.
The figures revealed that there had been a 13% rise in their use in the past 12 months.
Police were ordered to apologise in person last year to an elderly blind man who was Tasered after his white stick was mistaken for a samurai sword.
The non-lethal stun weapons have been linked to at least 10 deaths in England and Wales over the past decade.
Earlier this month a Manchester coroner ruled that five police officers who wanted to remain anonymous would be named at the inquest into a man shot with a Taser.
Factory worker Jordan Lee Begley, 23, died two hours after being hit with the electric stun gun by an officer from Greater Manchester police at his home in Gorton on 10 July last year. Police were called to his home following a argument.
Tasers were introduced into UK police forces in 2004, to give officers an alternative to using firearms or heavy weapons such as batons.
Around 12% of UK police officers carry a Taser and according to government guidelines, all officers must be trained before being allowed to use one.
Devon and Cornwall police were criticised for using Tasers on two boys aged 14 and 15, after reports of an alleged assault on a teacher at Chelfham Senior School.
In July data published by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) revealed that Staffordshire police used Tasers more than any other force, with shots being fired 33 times per 100 officers.
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