A New York man has died nearly six weeks after bursting into flames when police used a Taser to subdue him after he doused himself in hand sanitizer.
Jason Jones, 29, was taken off a ventilator at an intensive care unit at Upstate University Hospital in Syracuse, according to his family's attorney, The Times Union reported Thursday.
The state attorney general’s office announced Friday it had opened an investigation into Jones’ death, NBC affiliate WNYT reports.
Jones had walked into the Catskill village police department in late October and got into a confrontation with officers. He appeared to be intoxicated and had removed his clothing, the newspaper reported.
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Chief Dave Darling said last month officers deployed a Taser to subdue Jones, who had just doused himself with hand sanitizer, and he then burst into flames.
Darling said officers were were familiar with Jones from previous encounters.
“I think they were afraid he was going to hurt himself, and that’s what started it,” Darling said.
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The police chief described the situation as “horrible.” Darling said that his officers are not equipped with body cameras but that there are video cameras in the police station.
Jones had been a standout track and basketball athlete at Catskill High School over a decade ago, The Times Union reported.
