Police Ombudsman Dr Michael Maguire

THE Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland has launched an investigation after police used a Taser gun on a knife-wielding man who was trying to stop traffic.

The incident happened on the Ligoneil Road in north Belfast shortly after 7am on Monday.

Police said the Taser was fired by a specialist firearms officer in order to “prevent harm to the male himself or anyone else”.

The man has been arrested and is currently in custody.

A statement from the PSNI said: “The Police Ombudsman of Northern Ireland has been informed in line with agreed PSNI protocols”.

Last week, Police Ombudsman Dr Michael Maguire cleared police of an wrong doing after officers used a Taser on a man in Derry/Londonderry last year.