10-Year-Old Girl Being Held Hostage by Mom at Knifepoint Is Accidentally Tased by Police During Rescue

Mar. 15, 2025

A Pittsburgh Police vehicle.Photo:Getty

Getty

The Pittsburgh Bureau of Police has launched an “extensive review” after an officer “inadvertently” tased a 10-year-old girl while responding to a hostage situation.

Police identified the woman as 48-year-old Gwendolyn Gilmore. The 10-year-old is Gilmore’s daughter; the boy’s identity is unclear, as the release said he is also “her” child but WTAE reported that he is Gilmore’s nephew.

While WTAE reported that the boy was also hit with the taser in his leg, police said in an email to PEOPLE that this did not happen.

A police car at night (stock image).Getty

After accidentally being tased, the girl “had a seizure at the scene” and “suffered a minor laceration to her scalp.” Officers rendered aid and Pittsburgh EMS responded to the scene, bringing the girl to a local children’s hospital, per the release. She has since been released into a relative’s care, and the boy is also in the custody of a relative.

“The Pittsburgh Bureau of Police reviews all use of force incidents that occur in the city and involve Pittsburgh Police officers,” authorities said in the release. “As such, an extensive review of the officer’s tactics from yesterday will be conducted to ensure reasonable force was used.”

The Pittsburgh Bureau of Police did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for more information on Sunday, Sept. 15.

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Beth Pittinger, executive director of the Pittsburgh Citizen Police Review Board, told KDKA that police “did a very good job at managing that situation and ended up protecting those children from further harm,” citing the information that’s been provided about the incident so far. Adding that the kids were “faced with a threat,” Pittinger said she thinks police “assessed that threat realistically and reasonably.”

source: people.com