The Saskatchewan Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT) has taken over an investigation into the death of a 35-year-old man who died while in the custody of the Saskatoon Police Service.
Medical Emergency in Detention Unit
According to police reports, the incident occurred on Tuesday morning around 9:30 a.m. when the man began experiencing what authorities described as medical distress while housed in a police detention unit.
The Saskatoon Police Service confirmed they immediately notified SIRT about the incident, following the mandatory reporting requirements outlined in The Police Act, 1990.
Circumstances Leading to Custody
Police revealed the man had been taken into custody earlier that same Tuesday morning in connection with reported assaults in the 300 block of Avenue Q South in Saskatoon.
The officers were responding to reports involving two individuals:
- A five-year-old girl
- A 40-year-old woman
Following the man's medical emergency in the detention unit, SIRT's civilian executive director accepted carriage of the investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death.
Limited Information Released
Authorities have released few details about the case, including withholding the deceased man's name from the public at this early stage of the investigation.
The Saskatoon Police Service emphasized their cooperation with the independent investigation in their official news release regarding the tragic incident.
This marks another case where SIRT, Saskatchewan's independent police oversight body, will examine the events leading to a death while an individual was in police custody.
