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Photo Courtesy ASIRT
By Tanner Smith
ASIRT

ASIRT’s investigation into an “assault by police” claim in High Level, has concluded

Jun 15, 2023 | 3:24 PM

The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team has concluded its investigation into allegations of assault by police, following a 75-year-old man’s (Affected Person – AP) death shortly after being in police custody.

On April 5, 2020, High Level RCMP received a report from a civilian witness (CW1), saying her estranged husband (AP) broke into her home with a screwdriver and is refusing to leave

Witness Officer #1 (WO1) arrived on the scene and attempted to arrest the man (AP) for breach of peace, but it was reported to ASIRT, the man (AP) was resiting.

The Officer (WO1) then called for backup, and officers eventually put the man in the back seat of their police cruiser.

Once inside the cruiser, the man (AP) reportedly began banging his head on the divider inside the vehicle, however, the incident was not recorded, as the officer (WO1) told ASIRT, it was only turned on afterwards.

Once at the detachment, the man (AP) then body-checked the cell door six times, before asking for medical attention and being stretchered out to an ambulance, which was all recorded on the cell camera.

The man (AP) was released from police custody without charges and was taken to the hospital on April 6, and subsequently released, before being dropped off at one of his son’s residences.

Three days later on April 9, his son found the man (AP) deceased and told responding emergency services that he had been assaulted by police days earlier.

However, an autopsy showed the cause of death was a heart attack, and the man had a history of medical issues, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, a quadruple by-pass five or six years before, along with a pacemaker that had been previously installed.

After conducting interviews with witnessing officers and civilians, along with reviewing video evidence and the autopsy report. ASIRT closed the case and determined the death was due to a heart attack, and there were no reasonable grounds to believe any officers were responsible.

If you would like to see ASIRT’s full report, click here.

by Tanner Smith