Tim Dolan calls David Smith's Taser treatment sad but legit

Dolan said his officers acted appropriately.

That confrontation, at the downtown YMCA, was more than a month ago. Today, Minneapolis Police Chief Tim Dolan issued a statement calling Smith's death sad, but not the result of anything improper on the part of the two officers involved.

The Hennepin County Medical Examiner, meanwhile, has ruled the death a homicide.

"I would like to extend our sympathies to the family of David Smith," Dolan said. "The unfortunate reality is that in any situation where use of force is required, police officers can act appropriately and still have a tragic result."

He said the confrontation is being investigated by MPD's Internal Affairs and Homicide Units. "Based upon our initial review it appears that the officers followed proper protocol and policies. In accordance with our standard procedures, we will be forwarding this matter to the Hennepin County Attorney's Office for their review."

The two officers involved, Timothy Gorman and Timothy Callahan, were called to the scene after Smith had harassed a teenage boy and refused to leave. After a struggle, they fired their stun guns and Smith collapsed. At first they thought that Smith had died at the scene. But he was revived and rushed to HCMC.