Wait, how can someone actually die from tear gas?

So, you guys probably heard the news that our first West Point Potomac, James Drasin passed away due to complications from being sprayed with tear gas.

Look, setting aside all the drama—the fact that he was a controversial figure, the incident where he nearly killed his ex-fiancée, the legal battles with the military, whatever—I just don't get it. HOW DOES TEAR GAS ACTUALLY KILL SOMEONE?

I’m sure if I spent an hour digging through Google I’d find something, but I honestly don't have the time right now... plus, I'd much rather just talk about it here. What kind of mechanism or reaction from tear gas is actually capable of being fatal?

Please, let's not turn this thread into a flame war with comments like "he got what he deserved." We aren't here to debate his character or his life choices—you can take that over to the politics board—we're talking about the actual fact that tear gas can lead to a fatal outcome. Thanks 🙂

Was there something wrong with his heart, like it just gave out or something?

I mean, yeah, sure—but what exactly do you mean by his heart just "giving out" from a canister of tear gas"?

Like, why doesn't anyone else have a heart attack when they're acting like idiots and the cops spray them down, or when they get way too wasted trying to pick up girls at some dive bar...

It’s possible—since tear gas acts like an organophosphate compound, messing with the autonomic nervous system and potentially triggering cardiac arrest.

Michelle Cook83 said:Maybe, since tear gas acts like an organophosphate compound on the autonomic nervous system and causes cardiac arrest.

Look, they probably just blasted him with a whole canister. Tear gas isn't lethal in tiny doses, but when someone douses you with a full bottle—the result is 👎

Michelle Cook83 said:Maybe—because tear gas acts like an organophosphate compound hitting the autonomic nervous system and triggering cardiac arrest.

plus throw some narcotics into the mix... and boom—you've got cardiac arrest.😎

Donna Clark77 said:Throw some narcotics into the mix and you’re looking at a one-way ticket to cardiac arrest. 😎

That’s exactly what I was getting at. The guy was clearly battling PTSD, so you just know he was likely on some kind of sedative or anti-anxiety meds to keep his head above water. Honestly, can you even imagine how much of a beast he was as a sailor? It sounds like they probably had to hit him with a full canister of tear gas just to get him under control. I feel terrible for him, truly. It’s just one tragic chapter after another from start to finish.

Donna Clark77 said:add drugs into the mix... and you're looking at full-on cardiac arrest😎

yeah, and let's not forget the beatings he almost certainly took from those thugs out on the street... Honestly, who even knows what the real cause was? It could've been a brutal beating and they just used tear gas as a convenient story for the news...

Look, Scott Allen10, come on... who’s ever actually had a heart attack from getting beat up?

I just don't get it... 😢

What do you think? I mean, if they really beat him up, he could have a hundred different ways to lose it—lungs, head, who knows...
I was just trying to say that this whole tear gas situation feels like a total masquerade for someone's sheer brutality... honestly, we see stuff like this all over the US too, unfortunately.

It’s honestly baffling to me how it took seven police officers just to bring him down... seven?
And for the record, every single one of them is under investigation now.

Rachel Brooks63 said:I mean, come on, Scott Allen10, who’s ever actually had a heart attack just from getting beaten up?

I don't really get it, honestly. 😢

One solid hit can stop a heart, you know.😁 👍

If he was using cocaine—which would certainly explain that level of aggression—there is a massive risk of cardiac arrest... especially when you factor in being blasted with heavy amounts of tear gas.
From what I can gather, they sprayed him directly with a large dose of tear gas in an enclosed space... which likely triggered brief hypoxia.
Does anyone know if the autopsy results are in yet?

Well, just when you thought things couldn't get weirder, the papers are out here pushing some new conspiracy theory about money laundering.

Now things are actually getting interesting...

Look, I'm no expert, but...
spraying that much tear gas in an enclosed space?

Okay... I guess the only way that works is if the SWAT teams roll in wearing full gas masks... you know, like in the movies... and carrying those heavy plastic riot shields...

granitebadger25 said:If he was using cocaine—which would definitely explain that level of aggression—he’s looking at a massive risk for cardiac arrest, especially if you factor in being blasted with a heavy dose of pepper spray.
From what I can gather, they sprayed him directly with a huge amount of tear gas in an enclosed space... which likely triggered some short-term hypoxia.
Does anyone know if the autopsy results are out yet?

The news reports are saying he’d been on drugs since he was thirteen. He started out with weed before graduating to the harder stuff. Apparently, his mother was a nightmare to deal with, and he’d get wheezy just from all her nagging and constant complaining. That’s why he allegedly lashed out at his wife; she wouldn't shut up, just like his mother, and eventually, he just snapped.

Man, those cops absolutely laid him out.
Word is he was covered in blood and bruised to hell by the time they rolled him into the ER.

The late Jason was brutally beaten, and that's what ultimately took his life. There wasn't a trace of alcohol or any drugs in his system. The poor guy was struggling with PTSD, and it looks like he just hit his breaking point—then those idiots from Canada stepped in and killed a good man. R. I. P.