SD Police Chief Defends Tasering of 8-Year Old Girl

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — Pierre's police chief is defending an officer's use of a stun gun on an 8-year-old girl.

Chief Bob Grandpre says the officer used the Taser after responding to a report of a suicidal girl Saturday night. He says the girl was holding a knife to her chest, refused to drop it, turned it toward the officer at one point and then put it back to her chest.

Grandpre says the officer "quite possibly" saved the girl's life. He also says police can't control the age of people who make threats. The unnamed officer is still on the job.

The girl's father, Bobby Jones, says the officer should be disciplined for using excessive force.