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Former DJ in clash with police dies after Taser shot

It's not known what caused the death of Quincy Smith, 24, who was involved in a reported domestic assault in early Tuesday. Five officers were later put on leave.

By LORA PABST, Star Tribune

Last update: December 10, 2008 - 12:32 AM

Authorities are investigating what caused the death of a domestic assault suspect and former radio DJ in Minneapolis Tuesday after he fought with police and was shot with a Taser.

Quincy Smith, 24, of Minneapolis, who died early Tuesday after the confrontation with police, worked at the north Minneapolis station KMOJ Radio for less than two years, the station said. He was on the air five nights a week as "Q the Blacksmith," until about a year ago.

The Hennepin County medical examiner's office has not yet determined Smith's cause of death.

Around 12:45 a.m., Minneapolis police officers were called to a home in the 1000 block of Knox Avenue N. on a report of a domestic assault involving a man with a rifle, said Minneapolis police spokesman Sgt. William Palmer.

When officers arrived, they found Smith outside of the home. At one point, an officer did see him with a long gun, but Smith was out of sight of the officers for a period of time, Palmer said. A gun has not been recovered, Palmer said.

As the officers tried to arrest him, Smith struggled and was shot with a Taser, Palmer said. Shortly after Smith was subdued, he had a medical problem and paramedics were called, Palmer said.

Smith was taken to Hennepin County Medical Center, where he died.

The five officers involved in the incident are on standard paid administrative leave, Palmer said. They are officers Carlos Baires-Escobar, Shawn Brandt, Timothy Devick, Christopher Humphrey and Nicholas McCarthy. A sixth officer who witnessed the incident is also on paid administrative leave.

Both the homicide and internal affairs units are investigating the death. There have been no other deaths from Taser use by Minneapolis police this year or last year.

Several deaths of local people who were Tasered by police in the past few years have been attributed, in part, to other causes.

Mark Backlund, 29, of Fridley, died in January after he was involved in an accident and state troopers used a Taser to subdue him. The autopsy report said he died due to mixed drug use, including acute cocaine abuse. Police restraint and heart conditions were listed as contributing factors.

Earlier this year, Joseph Kubat, 21, of St. Paul, died after police were called on a report of a suicidal man on drugs. During a struggle with police, Kubat was sprayed with a chemical irritant, to no effect, then shot with a Taser. He became unresponsive after being handcuffed, police said, and the Ramsey County medical's examiner office since has ruled he suffered a fatal condition known as "excited delirium." Though the autopsy showed that Kubat died after becoming highly agitated, the manner of death remains undetermined, the medical examiner's office said Tuesday.

A 2004 study from the human rights group Amnesty International showed that out of 290 people who had died after being struck by police Tasers since 2001, many of those had underlying health problems or were under the influence of drugs.

Star Tribune staff writers Anthony Lonetree and David Chanen contributed to this report. Lora Pabst • 612-673-4628

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