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Watchdog Clears Police in Custody Death
15 Oct
Summary
- No criminal offenses found by police watchdog in man's custody death.
- Autopsy cited positional asphyxia and drug toxicity as causes.
- Extensive video footage reviewed, confirming no excessive force used.
The Saskatchewan Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT) has determined that no police officers committed criminal offenses during the apprehension of a man who later died in RCMP custody on April 28, 2025. The investigation report indicates that Melfort RCMP were initially alerted to a man agitated and having sprayed a substance in a home.
Responding officers engaged in a prolonged attempt to de-escalate the situation, noting the man was experiencing a mental health crisis. When the man fled, officers pursued and restrained him without significant use of force. He subsequently reported difficulty breathing and stated he was having a heart attack.
Despite officers' attempts to calm him and provide aid, including CPR initiated by an officer with prior paramedic training, the man ceased responding. Autopsy results revealed the cause of death as positional asphyxia, compounded by acute methamphetamine and cocaine toxicity. Video evidence from multiple sources comprehensively covered the incident, supporting SIRT's findings that officers’ actions were responsive to the man’s resistance and that no excessive force was employed.
