Suspect Dies After Being Tased During Arrest

All four officers were placed on administrative leave as is standard procedure while the incident is being investigated.

(SALEM, Ore.) - Police say a Salem man died Saturday night after physically resisting officers of the Salem Police Department during his arrest.

Salem Police Lt. Dave Okada says the incident began at 7:38 p.m. when Salem Police were called to an apartment at 1251 Royvonne Ave SE #5 regarding a report of a male trespassing at that location.

"While investigating the trespass situation, officers encountered and attempted to arrest 37-year old Gregory Rold, who violently resisted the officers," Okada said.

"Rold continued to violently resist the officers' attempts to take him into custody, causing the officers to deploy their Tasers and ASP batons."

Okada says once Rold was restrained and handcuffed, "officers noticed that Rold was unconscious and unresponsive. Officers called for immediate medical assistance and rendered emergency medical aid to Rold until medical assistance arrived."

The officers involved in this incident were Officers Jacob Pratt, Eric Brown, Adam Waite, and Corporal Darron Mumey. Officer Pratt was injured during the altercation and was treated at Silverton Hospital.

Okada says all four officers were placed on administrative leave as is standard procedure while the incident is being investigated.

"This leave is not disciplinary in nature, but is common in situations where officers become involved in extremely traumatic events in the line of duty," he said.

This is standard policy for the Salem Police Department to request the Oregon State Police and the Marion County District Attorney's Office to conduct an independent investigation of situations of this nature.

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Sebastian Mael June 4, 2009 11:40 am (Pacific time)

these cops arent bad people, im related to one of them, he hasnt sleept in a long long time....i dont see why you people are being such jerks twards the cops, things happen, its not right to blame thoes that try to keep us safe it it???

Matt Manzini May 28, 2009 5:46 pm (Pacific time)

I am deeply struck by this as Mr. Rold's aunt is my mother's neighbor, they are also good friends as well. I visit my mom whenever I get the chance and one person that always stuck out to me everytime with his personality was Mr. Rold as he was never shy to yell across the street "How is your day going" or " How are you doing". A bit odd at times but nothing out of the ordinary for a man who is a skitsofrenick. So when I heard this story and read the articles about it I needed to hear it from a person that was close to him or was there. What I came to learn was that indeed Greg was trespassing but that he was doing so to get a fresh pair of clothe changing. So in other words a man's life was taken over something so stupid. I spoke to his mother who was present while all this happened she told me that he had wanted to stop by her apartment to get a changing of clothes and head back to his aunt's where he had been staying as he did not have a place of his own. Something that would have taken 20 minutes at most. Within those 20 minutes police officers arrived on a call of trespassing. Mr. Rold was forced to the ground and arrested.. By 4 police officers as you can see above. His mother then told me that while on the ground a police officer shot Greg with a taser and kept sending a series of electric shocks to him that lasted about 5 minutes while others beat him with a baton. While he was completely man-handled, was not going any where, and was of ABSOLUTE NO THREAT. For those that don't know the power of a taser; someone struck by a Taser experiences stimulation of his or her sensory nerves and motor nerves resulting in strong involuntary muscle contractions. In other words you go down within seconds of being hit by one... I did a little studying. As she teared up she told me that her son's last words to her were "Mom, help. They are killing me". After that Greg was dragged outside where the officers realized that somehow he was unconcious after being shot with a taser and beat with a baton for several minutes. You don't say?!?! How the heck does that happen? Morons. He later died at the hospital. My question is why did four officers have to use a taser to subdue a man with no weapon???? Were they not all man enough to take a 5'9" 240 pound man down??

TruthsRazors May 28, 2009 9:12 am (Pacific time)

It is a valuable tool in that sense but TOO often it is not being used as such.

The Truth about Tasers May 28, 2009 8:56 am (Pacific time)

"Since June 2001, more than 290 individuals in the United States have died after being struck by police Taser," according to a statement on the Amnesty International Web site. "Amnesty International is concerned that Tasers are being used as tools of routine force rather than as weapons of last resort. Rigorous, independent, impartial study of their use and effects is urgently needed."

TruthsRazors May 28, 2009 8:08 am (Pacific time)

It is a valuable tool in that sense but to often it is not being used as such. The abuse of tasers is to common it seems. Instead of being used as a device to stop someone hyped up on drugs that is attempting to hurt someone, for instance, it is being used on someone who is merely angry or argumentative and not someone posing immediate danger. To use something that is potentially lethal on someone not posing immediate danger is ludicrous in my opinion. Someone can lose a father, mother, brother etc for nothing more than having a little to much attitude. If a cop can't keep his composure and tell when someone is a danger he or she should no longer be one. Has Salem-News obtained a copy of Salem P.D.'s use of force, and/or taser policies?

Daniel Johnson May 27, 2009 1:48 pm (Pacific time)

Anonymous: Sure, tasers are legal but there is also a phenomenon called excessive use of force. See my story here: Another Taser Death (VIDEO) Daniel Johnson Salem-News.com where a man was tasered five times and died at the hands of FOUR policemen.

Witness to Police Mayhem May 27, 2009 1:21 pm (Pacific time)

I saw six cops standing around a car with a male in it ordering him to get out. He said that he was afraid they would hurt him and refused to get out. So, the cops tazed him repeatedly over five minutes. They finally decide that enough witnesses were around that they should stop tazing, and they pull him out and jump on him, with one cop kneeing him in the head, all while he put up no fight, no resistance and pleaded with them to stop hurting him and screaming for help.

Crime? No insurance.

When the police become the criminals, there is no one to call for help anymore, is there?

I yelled at the cops to let up and stop hurting the guy.

Their response?

Shut the f%and$# up or we'll get you, too.

EazyMoney May 27, 2009 12:59 pm (Pacific time)

I've seen 3 Salem cops taze a 119 pound woman 3 times. My daughter saw it, My friend and his wife and family all saw it. Sure she was belligerent, but was tazing her 3 times really necessary? She has 3 lovely burn scars complements of Salem p.d. Apparently 3 grown Salem policemen can't even subdue a 119 pound woman. Obviously they must have been scared out of their wits when they had to deal with an actual real full-sized male. Its sad that this is what law enforcement has come to.

Anonymous May 27, 2009 12:53 pm (Pacific time)

Taking care of the public in a LEGAL MANNER TASERS ARE LEGAL!!!!!

Sheep Dog May 27, 2009 11:41 am (Pacific time)

All you people commenting negatively about the police are sheep and you need sheep dogs to protect you. You all have no idea how law enforcement works. Tazers are used by law enforcement officers to subdue violent people so that the law enforcement officers don't seriously injure himself or herself in a violent struggle. Even four officers can be hurt or killed by a strong violent man. But it is obvious that you don’t understand this by all your ignorant comments. Next time you have a problem, a serous problem, call the police they will come and take care of business and keep all you sheep safe. And if they hurt someone or someone dies, then you can cry and complain like little sheep. Glad to see all you sheep are against the sheep dog and for the wolf.

Editor: Cops need to do their jobs and stay above the law. You guys and your bond of brotherhood have taken the wrong approach over the years. I know a lot of former officers and deputies who got along just fine without deadly tasers. But the bottom line is that police are people and you have good ones and you have bad ones. Taking care of the public in a LEGAL MANNER is their role and they are people who specifically chose that role They are PAID BY TAXPAYERS.

I think your sheep talk is ironic. You and people like you are the ones who rely on sheep. Also, most officers on our streets are good people, but you represent them very poorly, if you are even a cop at all.

Anonymous May 26, 2009 10:34 pm (Pacific time)

I've witnessed Salem Police do a lot of things that are way out line.. A LOT. someone needs to step up and do something about these out of control people. they are more dangerous than the criminals themselves!

Curious May 26, 2009 10:01 am (Pacific time)

Is there any update on this story?

Anonymous May 26, 2009 2:50 am (Pacific time)

Interesting that the Statesman Urinal has not even run the story. Are they helping with the cover up?

Help Us All!!! May 26, 2009 1:18 am (Pacific time)

What an insane story! Four police and they needed to shock this guy into submission?! I mean, DEATH?!

Cops are Jerks May 25, 2009 10:32 pm (Pacific time)

...and the cops laugh and joke with every deployment of the taser... They are fun to torture with...

MBH May 25, 2009 9:07 pm (Pacific time)

Much of the force used is actually justified because they "interpret" the actions of the subject to be resistance when it is in fact a natural survival response I could only pray that tasers are eliminated as an enforcement tool/weapon. too many have been killed, way too many

Nice Piggie Piggie May 25, 2009 4:27 pm (Pacific time)

cops are trained just how to cover up these "errors" to make them the poor little victims...

kevin May 25, 2009 4:19 pm (Pacific time)

I agree with the other above comments from Joe. Further, wish "salem-news" would report all the news. Like how many times guy tazed (excess of 9 times), use batons and canine and that neighbors report mother screaming that they were killing her son, More importantly why this whole event occurred. I ask why it took 2 hours to kill this man, excuse me execute this man.

Editor: Kevin, trust me that we are paying plenty of attention to this.

Nice Piggie Piggie May 25, 2009 4:13 pm (Pacific time)

yeah, and wanna bet it was suffocation? the police never admit they did anything wrong, find ways to argue how right they are. debbie baker is queen of "excuses". how many lawsuits are there against our salem police for abuse/brutality?

Joe May 25, 2009 11:26 am (Pacific time)

Just paid vacation over Memorial Day. Why bother "investigating?" We all know the results will be called justified. Seems our local police need more training since four of them couldn't take down one without killing him.

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Suspect Dies After Being Tased During Arrest

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