At the time of his arrest, Thorne was packing a number of weapons, including a sawed-off rifle, a machete and some manner of improvised weapon made from fabric and a pool ball, according to Hinds.

“This was not a situation, your honour, of a random drive-by shooting, but instead a situation where there seemed to be an apparent conflict going on, and the shooting was specifically targeted at the residence in question.”

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On the other hand, a TASER uses projectile prongs that attach to a target further away—up to 15 feet. The two prongs spread out when a TASER gun fires, allowing them to land on different body parts. This helps the TASER send electricity across a larger area. Ironically, a TASER's shape is more like a traditional firearm than a generic stun gun is.

“Mr. Thorne does have a history of violence,” prosecutor Aly Sparks told the judge, acknowledging that the offences for which he was being sentenced did not include violence against a specific person.

Those were the words used Wednesday by Regina provincial court Judge Murray Hinds as he described the Aug. 8, 2022 actions of Michael Swan Thorne.

Police were dispatched to the 1300 block of Rae Street at around 7:45 p.m. that evening after it was reported that a man had just shot at a house. A Taser was used on Thorne after he fled from officers, first on a bicycle and then on foot, according to a news release issued after he was apprehended.

“The history of colonialism has had a significant impact on his life,” she said, noting that multiple generations in his family attended residential school.

But Geiler said her client has been sober since his incarceration and stays in touch with his four young children — relationships he hopes to continue building.

Your budget is probably the biggest factor in buying a TASER or a stun gun, but both have strengths and weaknesses. Stun guns are more affordable and easier to reuse, while a TASER helps you keep your distance from violent attackers. Check out our review of the best stun guns to find the best fit for you and learn about stun gun laws.

Defence lawyer Cassan Geiler offered the judge some context about her client’s life, and what led to the situation for which he was charged.

Sparks said there was evidence that people with Thorne were yelling “shoot him, shoot him.” While she acknowledged the court had found the evidence was not enough to prove he had pointed the gun at a specific person, Sparks said the Crown considered the circumstances aggravating. She further noted that a home attached to the targeted building was occupied by a witness and multiple children.

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It's easy to find reliable stun guns, like the Vipertek VTS-989, for less than $30, while most of TASER's consumer-grade models, like the TASER Pulse, cost $400 or more. TASERs are also more expensive to use—replacement cartridges cost about $20 to $23, depending on if you buy a 10-pack or a 2-pack. Likewise, replacement batteries cost between $10 and $25, depending on your model.

The projectile nature of a TASER renders its wires and propellant unusable after one or two shots, depending on the model. Swapping out the TASER cartridge is easy, but it gives you fewer options when deterring an attack, and spare cartridges are expensive.

“The risks posed to them, any neighbours, and in addition anyone that might have been in that house that was shot at, was significant,” the prosecutor said.

Most stun guns use a rechargeable battery and don't use projectiles. You can use them as long as the battery still has some juice.

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TASER—in all caps—is a brand from Axon that helped popularize using electric shock weapons for self-defense. TASER's early popularity meant many people started using it as a generic term, like how dumpster became the de facto term for large trash bins.

On Wednesday, Hinds accepted a joint submission from the Crown and defence, sentencing the 32-year-old man to a total of seven years in federal prison. Most of the sentence was attributed to the reckless discharge of a firearm, which the judge viewed as the most serious offence.

While a TASER device is just as painful as a normal stun gun, it's more effective at incapacitating muscle functions so an attacker can't move.

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The judge encouraged the man to make use of his time in prison and avoid returning to a life of substance abuse upon his eventual release.

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His mother died of a drug overdose when he was six years old, forcing him to live with his violent, alcoholic father. He went on to live with other relatives, after which he was abused physically and sexually, Geiler said.

However, she said his record contained more than 30 criminal convictions, some of which were for violence against people.

It was clear that Hinds had taken these submissions into consideration when he addressed Thorne, offering comments of both admonishment and understanding.

Thorne began using alcohol and drugs at a young age, she continued, and he was evicted from his home following his father’s death. He was living on the street when he was shot, suffering injuries that required over a year of recovery.

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The projectile prongs on TASERs make them ubiquitous among law enforcement agencies with police TASER devices offering more range than consumer models—up to 35 feet.

Michael Swan Thorne experienced abuse as a child and was shot while living on the streets as an adult, his lawyer explained in court Wednesday before Thorpe received a seven-year prison sentence.

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Stun guns are close - proximity devices that require you to be next to the person attacking you. They use a painful shock to discourage further contact.

*SafeWise has conducted impartial research to recommend products. This is not a guarantee. Each individual’s unique needs should be considered when deciding on chosen products.

There are four main differences between stun guns and tasers: branding, range, reusability, and price. TASERs are branded projectile weapons, while stun guns are more affordable and require close-range contact with an attacker.

In contrast, a stun gun is any electroshock weapon. This means that all TASER devices are stun guns—but not all stun guns are TASERs.