Ryan Lee Meyers

Less-than-lethal force

Ryan Meyers died after being tasered 10 times by police. Ryan Meyers was diagnosed with bipolar disorder when he was 15 years old and lived with his parents for his entire life. Prior to his death, the Meyers family contacted law enforcement on five different occasions to have Ryan detained during a psychotic episode. On the night of Ryan's death, Ryan's brother Billy came home to find Ryan involved in a confrontation with their mother, Mrs. Meyers. Billy punched Ryan, a fight ensued and Mrs. Meyers called the police. Officer Romeo arrived at the scene and found Mr. Meyers and Billy standing in the front yard. Mr. Meyers was nursing a swollen and lacerated nose. Officer Romeo investigated and saw Ryan walking through the house, carrying a baseball bat. Officer Gaedke arrived at the scene, and she and Officer Romeo tried to convince Ryan to surrender. He responded by stating, "No, you're going to have to kill me." Officer Romeo requested the assistance of an officer trained to use a taser and Officer Mee responded. The officers entered the home and Officer Mee ordered Ryan to drop the baseball bat. Ryan did not immediately comply. Officer Mee fired the probes of his taser into Ryan and shocked him three times before Ryan dropped the baseball bat and fell to the ground. While three officers sat on Ryan's back, Officer Mee shocked Ryan a fourth time in probe mode and then six times in drive stun mode. According to some of the officers, Ryan was actively resisting and fighting with the officers when these additional shocks were administered. Officer Gaedke testified that Ryan was not fighting with the officers, but was "keeping his body rigid and keeping his hands underneath his body." Billy Meyers testified that Ryan merely tried to move his legs while the officers were sitting on his back. After Ryan had been shocked for the tenth time, the officers noticed that he was unconscious. Paramedics arrived and found Ryan in a state of cardiac arrest. They were unable to revive him.