Manitoba’s Police watchdog agency, the Independent Investigation Unit (IIU), says that after investigating the death of a 28-year-old man two Winnipeg Police Cadets did nothing wrong during the arrest and there are no grounds for any charges against them.
On February 22, 2017 the cadets responded to a report of an intoxicated man causing a disturbance and accosting a member of the public in Winnipeg’s downtown. Under the Intoxicated Persons Detention Act the man was arrested and taken to the Main Street Project to sober up.
Later that night, during a routine check, the man was found unconscious in his cell and taken to hospital where he later died.
The IIU assumed control of the investigation to determine if the cadets did something or failed to do something that contributed to the mans death.
Investigators interviewed 13 witnesses and reviewed video from the Main Street Project and did not find any indication of wrongdoing on behalf of the cadets.
A report from a medical examiner showed that the death was caused by the sedating effects of ethyl alcohol and alprazolam, as well as zopiclone. The report also indicated the man had an enlarged heart that also could have been a contributing factor. Based on video of the man in his cell positional asphyxia may have also played a role in the death.
Based on the outcome of the investigation IIU Civilian Director Zane Tessler concluded that an unfortunate series of events led to the death and had nothing to do with anything the cadets did or did not do.
-News 4-
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