This image from video footage shows Robert Dziekanski, front right, as he walks through a customs area in the international terminal at Vancouver International Airport on Oct. 13, 2007. Dziekanski, a Polish immigrant, died after RCMP officers used a stun gun on him.
In Depth
Tasers
Security video of Robert Dziekanski
Select footage from 6 hours in Vancouver International Airport
Last Updated March 28, 2008
CBC News
Robert Dziekanski, a Polish immigrant, died in the arrivals lounge of Vancouver International Airport after RCMP officers used a stun gun on him on Oct. 14, 2007.
He had wandered the airport for six hours in a secure area controlled by the Canada Border Services Agency, unable to effectively communicate with anyone because he was Polish and spoke limited English.
At around 10:30 p.m. PT on Oct. 13 Dziekanski moved on and presented himself at the secondary customs check, where he was granted landed immigrant status at 12:30 a.m., according to the Vancouver Airport Authority's CEO.
Dziekanski had several interactions with various border services officers. Witnesses have told CBC News that Dziekanski appeared confused and agitated when they saw him at 1 a.m.
Police arrived shortly after that and have said they jolted him twice with a Taser, intended to incapacitate people with an electric shock. He died minutes later.
• PDF of Canada Border Services Agency internal report (107 pages)
Video timeline
These surveillance videos were shot by the Canada Border Services Agency, released after a freedom of information request.
In the videos, Dziekanski is wearing a light-coloured windbreaker and light brown slacks. He has a black carry-on wheeled suitcase. His flight arrived at 3:20 p.m. on Oct. 13.
Video 1: 4:09 p.m. — Dziekanski is cleared through primary inspection line lane No. 10 by a border services officer and referred to secondary for further processing due to a language barrier.
For the next five hours, Dziekanski's whereabouts are largely unknown, although he is seen wandering through the camera footage periodically between 9:25 p.m and 10:35 p.m.
Video 2: 10:35 p.m. — Dziekanski approached the Canada Border Service Agency hall's exit in the airport's international terminal and was directed to customs secondary by a border services officer. A border services officer examined Dziekanski's passport and noted an immigrant visa affixed to the passport that had not yet been processed. The border services officer inspected Mr. Dziekanski's luggage trying to locate the remainder of his immigration documentation. However, the additional documentation was not present.
Video 3: 10:35 p.m. to 00:45 a.m. — Border services officers escort Dziekanski to the immigration secondary area after completing his customs examination. They are seen arriving at the area. Dziekanski is later escorted by a border services officer to the customs secondary area and is released with additional checked baggage located at the Lufthansa baggage area.
Video 4: 00:46 a.m. — Dziekanski exits the secondary area and walks toward the exit in the International Reception Lounge of Vancouver International Airport.
Video 5: 00:48 a.m. to 00:51 a.m. — A security camera observes Dziekanski exiting the International Reception Lounge and entering the public area of the international arrivals terminal. 00:51: The camera observes Dziekanski walking in the public area back towards the International Reception Lounge.
Video 6: 1:22 a.m. — A security camera observes airport security personnel entering the public area, moving quickly towards the International Reception Lounge. 1:22: Security cameras observe RCMP officers entering the public area and quickly moving towards the International Reception Lounge. 1:30: From media reports, a member of the RCMP discharges his Taser at Dziekanski. Dziekanski becomes unconscious and expires. (Note: 23 seconds into the video, you can see a Taser flash in the upper right corner of the screen.)
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