A man who died after being shot with an electric stun gun by Honolulu police was acutely intoxicated by methamphetamine at the time of the mid-March incident, the Honolulu Medical Examiner’s Office said.
Sheldon Haleck, 38, of Kapolei died of multiple metabolic and cardiac complications, the medical examiner said Tuesday.
Haleck died March 17, following an altercation with police on the night of March 16 on South King Street near Iolani Palace.
A Medical Examiner’s Office spokesman said it was unclear whether the stun gun shooting caused Haleck’s death.
Honolulu police said they responded to a complaint that a man wearing dark clothing was running erratically on the road.
Police said Haleck appeared to evade them as they approached him. One officer used pepper spray, but it was ineffective and Haleck remained on the road.
During the altercation, officers shot Haleck twice with the stun gun.
A Honolulu Police Department DVD recording of the altercation, released Tuesday, shows a police officer shouting more than once for Haleck to get on the sidewalk.
In response, Haleck says, "I promise, I promise," but continues to walk on the road.
An officer then shoots the stun gun, with electrical prongs striking Haleck. After the initial shock, Haleck continues to walk on the road.
The DVD recording shows a police officer then shooting the electric stun gun and shouting a number of times for Haleck to get on the ground, but Haleck remains standing. Eventually he complies by lying on the ground, and police place handcuffs on him.
Haleck was arrested at 8:24 p.m. March 16 on suspicion of disorderly conduct.
Police said that after being escorted onto the sidewalk, Haleck became unresponsive. He was then treated by paramedics and firefighters and taken to the Queen’s Medical Center, where he died March 17.
