SBI Investigates Death of Man After Taser Used on Him

Fayetteville, N.C. — One police officer was taken off patrol Wednesday following the death of a man who was hit twice with a Taser as he fought with officers at the scene of an attempted break-in, police said.

Otis C. Anderson, 36, of 2724 Providence St., died shortly after 1 a.m. Wednesday. Officers were responding to a break-in alarm from a convenience store on Murchison Road when he became combative and the officers used a Taser on him, police said.

The name of the officer placed on administrative duty wasn't released. The State Bureau of Investigation has been called in to assist with an internal investigation by the Fayetteville Police Department into the incident.

Anderson initially flagged down an officer at 5525 Murchison Road and said he had overdosed on crack cocaine, police said. Officers called for medical help, but he ran off, police said.

About 10 minutes later, a dispatcher sent officers to a break-in alarm at 5555 Murchison Road, where officers again saw Anderson, police said. He became combative while they were talking to him about the break-in, and officers warned him they would use a Taser if he kept fighting, police said.

A Taser looks like a handgun but shoots darts connected by wires that deliver high voltage to stun someone.

One dart hit Anderson and one missed, but he continued struggling, police said. Officers then placed the Taser directly on him, using a different mode of the weapon, and he still did not stop, police said.

Officers were eventually able to get Anderson on the ground and handcuff him, and paramedics were trying to remove a Taser dart that had stuck in him when he stopped breathing, police said.