Police in Auckland are defending the actions of officers who tasered a man four times, and he later died.
Officers were called to a house in Freemans Bay on Sunday where an elderly man was being violently assaulted.
Alo Ngata, 29, was tasered by two police officers after he refused to move out of the way and was acting aggressively.
Superintendent Karyn Malthus said restraining the man with their bare hands was not an option for the officers.
"I can tell you now from what I had seen that if my police officers did not use their tasers that I think I would have two seriously injured police officers - if not dead.
"The deceased was acting so violently that it would not have been the correct option to go forth and to try to lay hands on him and restrain him in that way."
She said he was in medical distress when he arrived at the Auckland police custody unit and was given CPR.
The case has been referred to the Independent Police Conduct Authority, Worksafe and the Coroner.