Several posts have been circulating on social media claiming that a man accidentally tased himself while storming the Capitol, dying of a heart attack.
But the claim is apparently untrue.
Several people died in the storming of the Capitol on January 6th, and one of the dead, whose name became known, is now being laughed at: allegedly he accidentally tasered himself several times with a taser in his pants until he had a heart attack died.
That claim spread on Twitter, but the user says he has no evidence:
can’t find confirmation on the ball thing but the apparent fact that a man tasered himself and died will have to be enough
– karl hess (@karlhess) January 7, 2021
This is said to have happened when the man tried to steal one of the paintings in the Capitol.
Who should the man have been?
One of the dead was known by name: Kevin Greeson from Athens, Alabama, who actually died of a heart attack during the violent riot, it was reported (look here).
Greeson has already published several photos and posts on the Parler platform calling for violence. One of the photos was then also shared on Twitter: He is said to have been the man who tased himself and died of a heart attack.
Here’s a photo of Kevin Greeson – the 55-year-old Athens, Alabama, man who died of a “medical emergency” during the unrest in Washington yesterday – posted on Parler last month w/ the caption “I wish these motherfuckers would come to my hood!” pic.twitter.com/9jVC6Sdeh5
— Connor Sheets (@ConnorASheets) January 7, 2021
A false expression of grief from the family
The claim picked up speed again when an alleged expression of grief from the family was shared as Sharepic on social networks, which is supposed to confirm that Greeson tased his testicles and died of a heart attack as a result.
However, the expression of grief is fake!
The widow contradicts the claim
Both the New York Times (look here) and snopes (look here) spoke to Kristi Greeson, the deceased’s widow.
Kevin Greeson took part in the riots, but never got into the Capitol. He phoned his wife and told her that he was in a safe area and was seeing the barriers being pushed away.
„He just stopped talking and I could hear all the people. Then he had the heart attack“Said Greeson on the phone to Snopes. „He was dead on the spot.“
According to his widow, her husband had neither a gun nor a taser with him, just a flagpole. The claim that he had “the eggs are lasered“While trying to steal a painting,”be no further from the truth“.
A New York Times reporter was able to confirm the widow’s testimony (look here). He saw rescue workers rush to Greeson and try to resuscitate him. According to his widow, Greeson had chronic high blood pressure, she was concerned that he was going to Washington too.
Conclusion
Claims that Kevin Greeson accidentally taspered himself trying to steal a painting and died of a heart attack as a result cannot be confirmed.
Both his wife and a New York Times reporter confirm that he was not inside the Capitol, but suffered a heart attack outside while talking to his wife on the phone.
Swell: New York Times, Snopes, Lead Stories
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