Former Aston Villa player, Atkinson, dies after gun attack

Former English premier league striker Dalian Atkinson has died after police fired a high-voltage Taser stun-gun at him, according to media reports yesterday.

West Mercia police said officers were called to “a report for the concern for the safety of an individual” in Telford, central England, in the early hours of yesterday and a Taser gun had been deployed.

A 48-year-old man had died after receiving medical attention, police said.

Media reports said Atkinson, 48, whose former clubs included Aston Villa and Spain’s Real Sociedad, was the dead man.

“The thoughts of everyone at Wednesday are with the friends and family of Dalian Atkinson this morning. RIP,” one of Atkinson’s former clubs Sheffield Wednesday said on Twitter.

Police said they could not comment further as the matter had been referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission, the police watchdog which said its officers had begun an investigation and would release more details later.

Civil rights groups have spoken of their concern about the increasing use of stun guns and their potential risk. According to figures from the Home Office (interior ministry), police discharged Tasers 1 921 times last year.

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