Chattanooga Pulse

According to a statement released Monday evening by Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, no corrections officers were involved in the Friday tasing incident of — at Erlanger Medical Center.  Public Information Officer Janice Atkinson said the corrections officers were not present when the tasing took place earlier and had no direct involvement in the event.

She clarified that corrections officers were at Erlanger Hospital on another matter when asked by the nursing staff and Erlanger Police to assist putting a patient in a vehicle.

Meanwhile, Chattanooga Police Major Crimes Investigators continue to investigate the death of Edward Buckner, age 53.  Buckner was a patient at Moccasin Bend Hospital when he developed dehydration due to diabetes and was transferred to Erlanger Hospital on November 24.

He was treated for the above medical problems and was discharged form Erlanger sometime around noon. Moccasin Bend sent a van and personnel for transport back to their facility.  Buckner was assisted to the van by medical personnel and Moccasin Bend personnel when he became combative and resistant to his help and refused to get into the van.

At this point Erlanger Police officers were summoned to help and Mr. Buckner became involved in an altercation with the Erlanger police officers.  During the altercation, Mr Buckner was tazed by the officers.

He was then placed in the van and taken back to Moccasin Bend.  When they arrived at the facility, Buckner was found to be unresponsive,  was transported back to Erlanger by EMS where he was pronounced dead.

Mr. Buckner has been transported to the Hamilton County Medical Examiners Office to determine the cause of death.

The case is pending further investigation, interviews and determination of cause of death.