Joseph Morena, 24

Mesa, Arizona
May 30, 2013

Cause of death: Taser

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Last updated: almost 6 years ago

Overview

A 25-year-old man died Thursday night in Mesa after he was arrested, stunned with a Taser and medically cleared by paramedics, according to the U.S. Marshals Service.

The U.S. Marshals fugitive task force received a warrant for the former prisoner on Wednesday after he was accused of violating his probation by failing a drug test, according to David Gonzales, U.S. marshal for Arizona.

Authorities are not publicly identifying the man until his family is notified of his death, Gonzales said.

Investigators located the man late Thursday afternoon near Broadway Road and Country Club Drive, and they boxed him in with their vehicles, Gonzales said.

The man became combative after investigators reached him, forcing the Marshals deputies to deploy a Taser, Gonzales said.

The U.S. Marshals policy calls for paramedics to medically clear suspects who are stunned with a Taser, Gonzales said, and medical professionals evaluated the man and determined he was OK to go to jail.

After the man was in custody, investigators discovered evidence that may have linked him to an earlier home invasion in Mesa and called local detectives to the scene, Gonzales said.

The man became agitated as he waited in the back of a law-enforcement car, Gonzales said. Paramedics were called back to the scene and took the man to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly before 6 p.m., Gonzales said.