Authorities release video of man set alight by police Taser after he doused himself with hand sanitiser
Jason Jones died six weeks after October incident in town of Catskill
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Your support makes all the difference.Shocking surveillance video that shows the moment a man burst into flames when a police officer’s Taser ignited hand sanitiser he had doused himself in has been released by New York prosecutors.
Jason Jones, 29, died six weeks after entering the police station in the town of Catskill last October, where he became embroiled in an argument with officers.
Now the previously unseen video footage from inside the station has been released by the New York Attorney General Letitia James.
In the video, which has no audio, Jones can be seen pacing around the lobby of the station and confronting officers.
Around 30 seconds into the video, a shirtless Jones grabs sanitizer from a table and sprayed his upper body and head.
One of the three officers then aims the Taser weapon at Jones, who was allegedly intoxicated, before firing it.
Jones is not on camera when that happens, but several seconds later a bright light appears in the frame and the officers backed up.
When Jones reappears on camera his head and shoulders are covered in flames and as he falls the officers flee the room.
One of them then looks around the corner as Jones’ hair continues to smolder.
When all the officers return the flames have gone out and Jones, who is conscious and on his knees, has visible red marks on his body.
Another person arrives on the scene and administers aid to Jones, who was then transferred top a burn unit at New York Upstate Medical University Hospital in Syracuse.
An autopsy will be held into the case of his death and determine what role the stun gun played in it.
A probe has been launched by the Attorney General’s Office of Special Investigations because the incident is an officer-involved death.
Catskill police Chief Dave Darling told The Times Union in November that he thought the officers “were afraid he was going to hurt himself, and that’s what started it.”
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