New Jersey Cop Used Taser To Stop Man's Suicide Attempt

A New Jersey police officer used a Taser to prevent a man from attempting to slit his own throat.

On Monday morning, Sayreville police spent more than an hour trying to talk a 46-year-old man out of killing himself, NJ.com reported. When they arrived on the man's home, he was holding a knife to his neck.

Officers from a trained crisis unit tried to coax the man into dropping the blade, according to a statement from Middlesex County Prosecutor Bruce Kaplan and Sayreville Police Chief John Zebrowski.

When the suicidal man actually began to cut his own throat, an officer zapped him with the stun gun.

The man, whose identity is being withheld, is being treated for the self-inflicted injury at a nearby hospital. His condition was not immediately available.

The use of Tasers has become a controversial issue in law enforcement, but authorities claimed that the cop who used it observed the state's guidelines and had been properly trained.

No charges have been filed. According to the release, the investigation is active.

Need help? In the U.S., call 1-800-273-8255 for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.