Man paralyzed after being hit with a Taser while running from police in Colorado sues officer

By COLLEEN SLEVIN
Associated Press

DENVER (AP) — A man who says he was paralyzed after being hit with a Taser while running from police in Colorado has filed a federal lawsuit against one of the officers. Lawyers for Jacob Root allege the officer fired a Taser at Root’s back without warning and he couldn’t break his fall with his hands or arms because he was incapacitated. Root was suspected of stealing a car, and the lawsuit says he broke his neck after falling face first into a street. Root is seeking $100 million in damages. The Colorado Springs Police Department was not named as a defendant. Its spokesperson says the department is in the early stages of reviewing the facts of the 2022 case and the officer is still employed there.