Family demands answers after man tased by Rohnert Park police dies

ROHNERT PARK, Calif. (KGO) -- The family of the man who died after being tased by Rohnert Park police is now demanding answers. It happened during a confrontation at a motel on Friday.

Branch Wroth died at the Budget Inn soon after police shot him with a taser. He was a 41-year-old construction worker from Cotati.

On Friday, a security guard at the Budget Inn called police to report that Wroth was acting strangely. But Rohnert Park police say when they tried to bring him into custody, Wroth resisted. That's when they tased him and took him to the floor.

Moments later, Wroth was dead.

Attorney Izaak Schwaiger says the family is devastated. "Obviously, police officers have a difficult job to do. No one discounts that. But their job is to help the situation, not to make it worse. As a result of the Rohnert Park Police Department being involved here, my clients' son is dead," he said.

The family is questioning whether the officers were properly trained and whether they followed federal guidelines.

Schwaiger represented Wroth's younger brother, Esa, who was paid $1.25 million last year after having been tased 23 times by Sonoma County sheriff's deputies.

"They say lightning doesn't strike twice but here it has, and the second time it was lethal," Schwaiger said.

The family is planning to take legal action against the police department.