PRINCE ALBERT - A report by the Saskatchewan Serious Incident Response Team has indicated here was nothing criminal on the part of the police officers involved in an incident in which a man went into medical distress and ultimately died.
"While the ultimate outcome of this incident, namely the death of the affected person, was both tragic and unintended, it cannot be said to be criminal on the part of the involved subject officers," the report concluded.
On April 1, 2023, the Saskatchewan Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT) was notified of an in-custody serious injury during a vehicle stop related to a stolen vehicle investigation in Prince Albert.
The SIRT Civilian Executive Director accepted the notification as within SIRT's mandate and directed SIRT to investigate.
On April 26, 2023, during the course of SIRT's investigation, the involved individual, a 40-year-old man, passed away in hospital.
SIRT has completed its investigation into this matter and the Civilian Executive Director's public report can now be accessed online. (https://publications.saskatchewan.ca/#/categories/6145)
SIRT's mandate is to independently investigate incidents where an individual has died or suffered serious injury arising from the actions of on- and off-duty police officers, or while in the custody of police, as well as allegations of sexual assault or interpersonal violence involving police.
On Saturday, April 1, 2023, at approximately 3:30 a.m., SIRT received a notification from the Prince Albert Police Service (PAPS) regarding an in-custody serious injury during a vehicle stop related to a stolen vehicle investigation.
Earlier that evening, a black Dodge Avenger was reported stolen by its owner. That vehicle was subsequently located, and a member of PAPS executed a traffic stop on the vehicle. The vehicle was occupied by three individuals, including the vehicle's registered owner. Other PAPS patrol units attended the location of the traffic stop. During the interaction that followed, police attempted to take a 40-year-old man, subsequently referred to as the affected person, into custody and an altercation occurred.
During that altercation, the vehicle was put into motion, colliding with a marked PAPS vehicle, and several intermediate weapons were used by police, including conducted energy weapons (CEWs), collapsible batons, and Oleoresin Capsicum (OC) spray.
It was noted that the individual was advised by police he was under arrest for outstanding warrants.
A handgun in a holster and a knife was found on the affected individual's body when he was being arrested.
Police delivered some knee strikes to him as he struggled during attempts to put him in handcuffs.
As officers applied handcuffs in front of his body, and he was rolled to his left side, the man was observed to be breathing hard, and stated words to the effect of "I can't breathe."
He continued to struggle. Then, the handcuffs were removed and re-applied behind his back
Once the affected person had been taken into custody, EMS attended the scene, and the individual was observed to be in medical distress. EMS provided care and the affected person was transported to hospital in serious condition, and subsequently transferred to hospital in Saskatoon.
On April 26, 2023, the individual passed away in hospital.
According to the SIRT report, the autopsy results show the man died from cardiac arrest, caused by positional asphyxia and cocaine intoxication, with the involvement of a CEW identified as only a possible, but unlikely contributing factor. In the report, the forensic pathologist noted that "while it is possible that the prior deployment of the CEW may have sensitized the affected person's heart to some degree, making it easier for the heart to go into sudden cardiac arrest, the possibility was identified as being unlikely."
The report concluded. "The force used to remove the affected person from the vehicle was employed in circumstances under which police were lawfully placed to carry out his arrest, and was employed for that purpose. The level of force was reflective first of the level of resistance offered and later to the level of threat presented by the affected person during the incident."
