Sword-wielding man dies after officers use a Taser on him, Iowa police say

A man armed with a sword died after officers used a Taser on him, Iowa police say.

The sword-wielding man had been knocking on doors early Tuesday morning in Nevada, a city of about 6,700 just north of Des Moines, according to a news release.

Officers found the man sitting in a grassy area “flaying a sword,” Nevada Police Chief Ricardo Martinez II said. Story County sheriff’s deputies soon arrived to help.

Police say officers ordered the man to drop the weapon “numerous times.”

“It stays in my hand,” the man replied along with other “incoherent words,” according to police.

An officer then used a Taser on the man, allowing cops to grab the sword and handcuff him, police said. They called for an ambulance to remove barbs from the Taser.

When paramedics arrived, they began to provide medical treatment and the man quit breathing, police say. The man was taken to a hospital, where he died. He has not been identified.

The incident is under investigation. An autopsy will be performed to determine the cause of death, KCCI reported.

Martinez did not immediately respond to McClatchy News’ request for information on whether a Nevada police officer or Story County sheriff’s deputies deployed the Taser.

This story was originally published June 22, 2020 at 11:28 AM with the headline "Sword-wielding man dies after officers use a Taser on him, Iowa police say."