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. 2025 Jun 21.
doi: 10.1007/s12024-025-01025-4. Online ahead of print.

Electrical effect on probe wounds after long time exposure with a new generation conducted electrical weapon (Taser T10®) on human volunteers

S N Kunz  1 , J D Ho  2 , D M Dawes  3 , J R Miner  2
Affiliations

Electrical effect on probe wounds after long time exposure with a new generation conducted electrical weapon (Taser T10®) on human volunteers

S N Kunz et al. Forensic Sci Med Pathol. .

Abstract

Conducted electrical weapons (CEWs) are widely employed by law enforcement agencies globally to manage and restrain potentially violent individuals. As newer generations of these weapons are introduced, it is crucial to assess their effectiveness and safety profiles. The TASER 10 (T10) represents a significant advancement, utilizing an independently targeted probe system with floating polarities, enabling any two probes to establish a connection. This design enhances its versatility and operational effectiveness compared to earlier models. In scenarios requiring use over greater distances- such as deployment via drones-prolonged electrical exposure may be necessary to bridge the gap to the subject and secure control of the situation. The extended exposure duration associated with these probes may result in altered wound mechanisms and morphological features. This study examines the morphological wound characteristics of 20-30 s of electrical exposure delivered through hand-placed dart electrodes of the T10 CEW. To our knowledge, this represents the first human study to investigate potential electrical injuries resulting from extended-duration exposure with the T10 CEW.

Keywords: Conducted electrical weapon; Forensic medicine; Long duration electrical exposure; Probe; TASER; Wound ballistic.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Ethical approval: The institutional review board at the University of Minnesota approved the study. Consent to participate: Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study. Human and animal ethics: The study was performed in accordance with the ethical standards as laid down in the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. No animals were harmed during the study. Consent for publication: All authors agree with the content of this paper and all gave explicit consent to submit and publish. The authors state that they obtained consent from the responsible authorities at the institute/organization where the work has been carried out. Competing interests: Drs. Jeffrey Ho and Donald Dawes are paid as consultants to Axon Enterprise, Inc. Dr. Jeffrey Ho is the Axon Enterprise, Inc. Medical Director. Dr. Sebastian Kunz is on the Axon Enterprise, Inc. Scientific and Medical Advisory Board. Dr. Miner has no conflicts to declare.

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