What Happened to Brian Cardall – Questioning Law Enforcement’s Role

In June 2009, a heart-wrenching incident took place involving Brian Cardall, who tragically lost his life after being Tasered twice by the police in a disturbingly short timeframe. During the distressing encounter, Cardall pleaded desperately with the officers, repeatedly pleading, “Don’t shoot me,” while discussing his involvement in a standoff.  The Cardall family released a profoundly emotional Brian Cardall video capturing the incident’s chaotic moments, including 911 calls and recordings from the police.

This gripping footage provides a raw and unfiltered look into the events that unfolded along state Route 59 near Hurricane. Even after 14 years, the Brain Cardall video continues to raise compelling questions about law enforcement practices and the methods they employ. In this article, we’ll tell you everything about the Brain Cardall story and how the whole incident happened and played out.

Details of the Incident

An investigation was called out to find out why the police decided to use a Taser on Brian Cardall. On June 9, 2009, Anna and Brain Cardall, and their two-year-old daughter were on their way back home to Flagstaff, Arizona. This unfortunate incident happened when Cardall and his wife pulled over on State Road 59 near Hurricane so that he could take his medication for bipolar disorder. Even after taking his medicine, Cardall remained agitated and got out of the car, heading towards the road.

Anna Cardall made a distressed call to emergency services, describing a chaotic situation where her husband, in a state of extreme distress, took off his clothes and ran into traffic, trying to either stop cars or direct the flow of vehicles. She assured the dispatcher that their daughter was safe inside the car but expressed her fear that Brian might get hit by a passing vehicle. Tearfully, she repeatedly pleaded with Brian to stop and expressed her deep concern for his well-being. Worried about his safety, his wife called the police for assistance.

Anna informed the dispatcher that Brian had bipolar disorder and was going through a moment of intense agitation. She had already given him his medication, but it would take some time to take effect. Importantly, she emphasized to the dispatcher that Brian did not have any weapons. When the officers arrived, they chose to use a Taser on Cardall, resulting in his tragic death shortly after. The specific details of how the Taser caused his death have not been revealed yet.

In addition to being accomplished in science and academics, Cardall was also a talented musician, writer, rock climber, and painter. His father, Duane Cardall, who works as an editorial director, described him as an incredibly loving and attentive father. Brian leaves behind his wife, daughter, and another child on the way. Not many people knew about his mental illness, and his breakdown was reportedly caused by stress from his studies.

Brian Cardall’s Death: Emergency Recordings Reveal Tragic Events

In a distressing audio recording from a police officer at the scene, the events leading to Brian Cardall’s unfortunate death are brought to light. The officer, along with his teammates, urgently told Cardall multiple times to “get on the ground” after activating their flashing lights and siren. Shortly after this, a sound like a “pop” indicated that a Taser had been used, followed by Cardall moaning in pain.

Within a short while, the officer confirmed the deployment of the Taser again, stressing the importance of Cardall staying on the ground. Eventually, the officer expressed that the situation was now under control. After the incident, the officer provided an explanation, stating that Cardall had gone down, attempted to get back up and that he had instructed him to remain on the ground. The officer mentioned that he had Tased Cardall again. In their conversation with the paramedics, one officer inquired whether Cardall had come towards them. He did not reply directly while another officer responded affirmatively.

Later, an officer shared that Cardall had approached him. Before the Taser was used, Cardall was heard discussing a potential “standoff” and asking about his wife’s safety. The officer also described Cardall as looking “pale, like someone with jaundice” and mentioned that he was foaming at the mouth when they arrived. Around two minutes after the Taser was used, the officers tried to get Cardall’s attention by calling his name.

Moments later, they discussed his breathing pattern and, shortly after, his lack of pulse. This led them to retrieve a defibrillator. When describing the situation to another person, possibly a medical responder, the officer explained that they used a Taser on the person, causing them to fall down, stop breathing, and have no pulse. The person responded by asking if it was a case of “excited delirium.”

The officer agreed, acknowledging that it’s a controversial term used to describe sudden deaths of individuals who are highly agitated and being restrained in police custody. Similar terminology has been used in other states during Taser incidents. The Cardall family released a statement expressing their deep sorrow over the loss of their son and brother, Brian Layton Cardall.

They decided to share the audio recordings to raise public awareness and understanding. This followed a statement by attorney Peter Stirba, representing the Hurricane Police Department, where the family believed crucial details were left out. While the family didn’t specify which parts of the recording they found significant, Stirba called the situation “tragic” and urged listeners to let the recordings speak for themselves, highlighting the officer’s justified use of non-lethal force.

Bottom Line

In 2007, two incidents raised concerns about the use of Tasers by law enforcement. The first took place at the University of Florida when a student shouted “Don’t tase me bro” and was tased by police. The second incident involved a man named Jared Massey who was tased by a Utah Highway Patrol Officer for arguing about a speeding ticket.

These events highlighted the potential dangers of allowing police to use tasers. Sadly, another case involving Brian Cardall resulted in his death, further demonstrating the improper and harmful use of this supposedly safe law enforcement tool. If the officer and the Hurricane Police Department are found to have acted unjustifiably, they should be held accountable for their actions.