'Untimely and tragic': Calgary police cleared of wrongdoing in in-custody death
Alberta's police watchdog has cleared the Calgary Police Service (CPS) of any wrongdoing in their dealings with a man who died in custody in a cell at the Spyhill Services Centre.
The death happened almost two years ago, after the suspect was taken into custody from the Marlborough CTrain Station on Oct. 23, 2020.
Police had been called to the area over concerns of a man with a weapon.
At the time, police said the man was arrested without incident, charged, checked by a medic and placed in a cell.
During a routine check of the cells at 8 p.m., police observed the man eating his meal.
During the next check he was found unresponsive.
Police said though life-saving efforts were taken, the man was pronounced dead at around 8:40 p.m.
ASIRT INVESTIGATION SHEDS LIGHT ON DEATH
On Monday, the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) released the results of an investigation into the death.
According to ASIRT, when arrested, the man was in possession of an airsoft pistol, slingshot and alcohol.
Computer checks revealed he was on probation, with one of the conditions of his release that he was prohibited from consuming or possessing alcohol.
The arrest was captured on body-worn cameras and ASIRT confirmed the man was cooperative when taken into custody and that no force was used.
ASIRT says video recordings of the man while he was in custody show him eating a sandwich he had been provided but also ingesting something else he appeared to be keeping palm of his hand.
"The (man) is then observed apparently discarding something into the toilet and flushing it," reads the ASIRT report.
An autopsy report later concluded the man's death was caused by ethanol, fentanyl and methamphetamine toxicity.
ASIRT concluded that the man "never presented as being in any form of medical distress" during his dealings with officers and CPS staff.
"He had been medically cleared for entry into (the arrest processing section) at the time he was brought there," ASIRT said.
ASIRT concluded that while the man's death was "untimely and tragic," there were "no reasonable grounds nor any reasonable suspicion to believe that officers committed an offence."
MEDIC RAISES CONCERNS
ASIRT noted that during its investigation, a medic within the arrest processing section had raised concerns with the way in which he felt the responding EMS had handled things.
"He was of the opinion that they did not provide the level of treatment one would expect given how (the man) was presenting."
ASIRT contacted the Alberta Health Service's (AHS) investigations unit and provided them with details of the concerns raised.
"It was left with AHS to determine whether to commence an investigation into the reported actions of the attending EMS members," said ASIRT.
In a statement provided to CTV News, AHS said they received information earlier this year regarding the "alleged conduct of two AHS paramedics" and "immediately conducted a full review and investigation."
"There was found to be no evidence of any professional misconduct nor improper patient treatment on the part of the AHS paramedics.
"The investigation is closed."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
'Tactical evacuations' underway near Fort Nelson, B.C., as wildfires encroach
The BC Wildfire Service says 'tactical evacuations' began Friday near Fort Nelson, B.C., due to an out-of-control wildfire that has grown rapidly since it was discovered earlier in the afternoon.
Snowbirds in Vancouver for puck-drop flyby as Canucks face Oilers
The Canadian Forces Snowbirds will be performing a flyover across downtown Vancouver at the start of tonight's Stanley Cup playoff game between the Canucks and the Edmonton Oilers.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
U.S. says Israel's use of U.S. arms likely violated international law, but evidence is incomplete
The Biden administration said Israel's use of U.S.-provided weapons in Gaza likely violated international humanitarian law but wartime conditions prevented U.S. officials from determining that for certain in specific airstrikes.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.