Death after Taser use shocks the family

[shance]

Death after Taser use shocks kin
By Mike McPhee
Denver Post Staff Writer

Albert Romero, 47, died after Denver Police stunned him with a Taser on July 16, 2007.

Taser use since 2003A middle-aged real estate agent who died early this morning after Denver police used a Taser on him was a devoted family man and a hard worker whose death shocked his family and co-workers.

Albert Romero, 47, died in an ambulance en route to Denver Health Medical Center after the incident in front of his house at 6100 W. Yale Ave.

Police claimed Romero was acting wildly and flailing around when they arrived around 3:15 a.m.

Police said Romero was striking things and charged police when they tried to arrest him.

Police shot him with a Taser, then handcuffed him. An ambulance was called, as is usually done when a Taser is used.

Family members painted a picture very different from the police description of Romero's behavior.

Read about other taser incidents involving metro area police over the past few years.


Romero was a hard worker, a Christian man who didn't smoke or drink," said Romero's stepson, Bobby Rivera, 30, who said he didn't see the incident.

"He was in good shape, he was a little overweight, but he was healthy.


Yesterday, we were moving furniture; he was fine."

Police spokesman Sonny Jackson said authorities do not know why Romero was acting wildly, and an investigation is underway.

"He loved his kids. He took us fishing," Rivera said. "We listened to (Atlanta pastor) Charles Stanley every morning."

Romero's grandson, 17-year-old Robert Ortiz, said the police version of his grandfather's behavior didn't make sense.

"He worked late into the night and used to walk his dogs at all hours," Ortiz said. "I think it was someone else who was hitting cars and causing trouble. I think my grandfather was at the wrong place at the wrong time. The cops grabbed the wrong man."

Ortiz said Romero was at the Ortiz home at 10 p.m. Sunday when he stopped by to pick up a movie he had loaned his daughter. "He was happy. He did his little dance that he loved to do, ate some posole with us and left. He was fine."

Ortiz and his cousin, J. Lee "Junior" Archuleta, 17, said Romero frequently worked into the night on his computer

Denver investigators look for evidence at the home of a man who died after being tasered early July 16, 2007. (THE DENVER POST | LYN ALWEIS)and often slept during portions of the day.

It was not uncommon for him to be out early in the morning walking his dogs.

A co-worker, Ron Biegler, from whom Romero rented office space, said he was a hard worker and a reputable man.

"I never, ever heard an unkind word about Albert," said Biegler, who owns the real estate brokerage Metro Brokers-Jewell Plaza in Lakewood. "Our office was shocked.

"He was an extremely pleasant, extremely polite man. He always talked about the Lord and how well his life was going."

Romero owned his own brokerage firm, Albert Romero & Associates-Auction, Realty.

The Albert Romero Memorial Fund has been set up at First Bank, Account # 2742833778. Deposits can be made at any First Bank branch in

A family photo of Albert Romero, hiw wife Debbie and their children Albert Romero Jr. and Destiny Romero in Christmas 2005. (THE DENVER POST | LYN ALWEIS)Colorado.
Staff writer Mike McPhee can be reached at [e-mail] or 303-954-1409.

[DS1]

1. BOOOOO at Headline

[shance]

2. What does that mean?

n/t

[DS1]

3. clarified

[mainegreen]

4. If the police tasered the wrong guy I suspect they're in for a world of hurt.

Shit like this is how town budgets get pwnd.

[Cronus Protagonist]

5. Maybe he had a heart attack and was trying to get attention?

I could imagine him flailing around with that... or perhaps an anurism?