Virginia Jail Bans Use Of Tasers After Natasha McKenna's Death

The Virginia jail where a shackled woman with a mental illness was stunned with a Taser and died soon after has banned the use of the device.

On Feb. 3, Natasha McKenna was shocked with a Taser four times while deputies at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center tried to get her into a transport vehicle to be taken to another jail.

McKenna stopped breathing minutes after being shocked, The Washington Post reported. She died five days later.

McKenna was brought to the ADC and charged with assault on an Alexandria police officer on Jan. 26.

The Fairfax County Sheriff's Office announced this week that it is suspending the use of stun guns in the wake of McKenna's death, which remains under criminal investigation.

"When an unusual event occurs, it is standard practice to review specific policy and procedures in reference to that event," sheriff's office spokesperson Andrea Ceisler said in a statement sent to WUSA. "Due to the recent incident, we are focused on the Taser policy and, as you are now aware, have temporarily suspended the use of this device in the ADC pending completion of our review."

The Post reported on April 11 that a leaked incident report indicates McKenna was shackled when she was shocked four times in an effort to get her to bend her legs so she could be put in a restraining chair.

Fairfax attempted to transfer McKenna, who had schizophrenia, to the Alexandria Jail where she could get mental health treatment.

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