There is a disturbing report out of Chicago where police were called when 95-year-old world War II veteran John Wrana refused to go to a hospital for a urinary tract infection. Called by paramedics to assist in getting Wrana into an ambulance, the Park Forest police showed up in riot gear and proceeded to shoot Wrana first with a stun gun and then with a bead bag fired from a shotgun. He no longer needed treatment for the urinary tract problem. He died from internal bleeding and blunt force trauma. He was about to celebrate his 96th birthday.
Wrana was reportedly frail and had difficulty walking. We have previously discussed other cases involving the killing of a bedridden elderly woman and an unarmed suicide case. The cases raise serious questions of the rapid escalation of such cases in the level of force used by police as well as the increasing use of “non-lethal devices” as a first response to threats.
Wrana was living in an assisted-living facility. Paramedics told police that he was threatening them with a metal shoehorn and a knife. Some reports indicate that Wrana had decided that he did not want to go through an operation. That may have been the reason why he was resisting. He said that he understood that not having the operation could kill him but decided against it. It is not clear whether he was declared incompetent before the attempt to force him to go to the hospital.
The family contests the claim of the knife. Even if he had a knife, it is hard to see why police could not stand back (particularly since they had riot shields) and avoid using such force on an individual who clearly would be a risk with either a stun gun or bean bag round. Even if the blunt trauma did not finish him off, the shock could easily trigger a heart attack in a near 96 year old man. Some reports indicate that multiple rounds of bean bags may have been used.
Wrana was U.S. Air Corps veteran who served in Burma and India during World War II. Sergeant Wrana survived the hellish fighting in Burma but would later die in the United States just short of this 96 birthday in a confrontation with police. Truly bizarre.
Just for the record. These bean bag rounds are often thought of as harmless, almost toy-like devices. The bean bags fired form a shotgun will initially travel at around 300-400 feet a second (though they have a range of 70 feet). They have been shown to break ribs and even push broken ribs into the heart. Internal bleeding is a well-known risk.
My heart goes out to all involved… the ignorance in our world about our elders is mind boggling! There is so much to learn and share!!!! Please, please, please!!! everyone start this process wherever you are!!!! Our elders and wise ones and we are deserving of our effort!!!!
so wrong ,no justifying it and it will get worse snfortunatly . god bless this man and his family , i hope they sue big time
Miriam: Point taken.
Nice touch coppers, NOT. How about stopping some of that murdering in the city, you know the shot and murdered people from this previous weekend. Ooopsie that’s right 95 year old men are more to your liking, why take out the bad guys when you can KILL AN OLD MAN.
Eich mochter ein double zimmer fur ein nacht.
All the guy wanted was a double room for one night. They decide to knife him to make him better, he refuses and they electrocute him and shoot him. We need to petition the government of Chicago, the government of Illinois and of the United States to bring the perps to justice. That is us folks on this blog. Send emails to the government entities involved. Send one to Eric Holder who made those statements about Zimmerman after he had been acquitted. Prosecute these perps under federal criminal civil rights laws Eric or we will call you out as a big hypocrite. This is the biggest crime of the year and it needs more Free Press Coverage.
I have a walking cane which has a taser device in the end of it that I can activate with the flip of a switch. My nursing home is unaware of its potential. I do not want cancer therapy and as I am 80 years old it should be my choice, but they are talking about getting a court order. When they come for me I will tase them first and ask questions later.
A patient has the right to refuse treatment and to force him to submit is a violation of his rights, BUT as the Communist in charge states you are property of the state and we do what we want with you
every person in a nursing home/assisted living center/residential care facility/on their own………….. with or without a guardian has the right to refuse treatments and their medications…………………………this is over kill on the officers part, the paramedics and staff at the facility SHOULD have known his right to refuse treatment
My first thought/question was “why did police need weapons to deal with a 95 year old man in assisted living”? That was followed by the question mark “riot gear?!?!?” Are you kidding me?
What happened to the wishes of the patient or family?
This goes to show how narrow the perspective of police can be. They obviously never stepped back to take a 10,000 ft view of the situate. Instead the got tunnel-visioned on an objective and decided that was the only way things would go – with force if necessary.
this was a 95 yr old sickly gentleman, who had the legal right to refuse any/all medical care… urinary infection/confusion should not be part of the issue ..he refused why was EMT even called to the facility.?
How sad. Do we really need someone to instruct police officers they should not assault a ninety year old man in his nineties in such a vicious manner? I know some police officers would have responded with intelligence and compassion, but these officers were pure evil. I’m not sure proper training would have made any difference. They should be held accountable as well as their superiors. It is illegal to force medical procedures on anyone against their wishes unless they have been judged incompetent. Temporary confusion R/T UTI does not qualify as incompetence. Looks like the EMTs violated the law.
F.S. Root
I am sorry to hear of the sad death of the 95 year old WW2 vet. As an ex-paramedic in the UK I can fully sympatise with the gent in question. As had already been muted, he is 95 years old, and unwell and does not want an operation or anything else (by the looks of the statements) and to be honest, who can blame him, most health care providers do not care about their patients in their care, all they see is the cash they are going to fleece (opps earn) from their top class care (cough, cough). Most of his friends and family are gone, so why on earth can he not die in peace and dignaty and with the love of his family and friends that he has around him now!
As for the police, yes major shite response from them. Wonder how they would react where a real dangerous criminal gets upset with them? But what about the Paramedics – where the issue started. They could see he was 95, yes 95 and frail and not fully mobile. In addition to the UTI, he would definatly have confusion setting in (if not already there due to the infection). Have they not considered in talking to the gent, talk about the war, his family oh and yes what about him, after all isn’t that that they are there for! And what did they say to their control when asking for help?
Now for the police, I thought all Police Forces where taught how to talk to people? to try and calm them down????? Again, as already been said they could see the condition of the Gentleman, so even when they turned up in full riot gear, they could have thought “right we don’t need this gear” a couple stay the rest sod off! and talk to the man, instead they shoot him and shock him. I would say I do hope the family do sue the police, but I would also look at the paramedics in this as it is blindingly obvious that they are unable to do their job!
I would like to see the police report on the incident and then talk to eye-witnesess and see what the difference is. I agree all need to be brought to justice, but I don’t think they meant to kill him….so not sure Murder would stick. I think that Manslaughter is more likely.
But again, my sincere condonlences go to the family, and the finger to the police and paramedics.
Ok, as far and I know you can refuse treatment and refuse to go to the hospital. When my Mom was in the nursing home, several times she refused to be treated or go to the hospital. So why were the Police called? I would hold who ever called the Police also responsible for this senseless act.The family should have been called first before anyone. Such a sad ending for a decent man.
This kind of behavior by police is what prompts already irrational people to shoot at a uniform first and ask questions later. If they are going to kill you anyway, why not kill as many of them as you can? Police, for Christ’s sake, don’t use unnecessary force; you are endangering other police elsewhere.
At 95, one gets tired of living. Most loved ones and friends are dead. The poor man should have been treated with gentleness and care, and allowed to forego the operation. The elderly deserve dignity and respect. T
his is so sad. Brutal arrogance.
Poetic justice plays to a full house.
A 95-year old man…really?! He was that much of a threat they HAD 2 call the police in eah? SHAME on them ALL! That man was NO threat 2 anyone! The real threat is the nursing home that was taking care of him! SHAME SHAME SHAME!
Makes me sick toy stomack
you pay your taxes, and this is what you are upholding – a closer movement toward military dictatorship. make a stand and stop paying your taxes… it’s going to happen sooner or later, people are not supporting this bullshit anymore.