The Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba (IIU) has closed its investigation into a serious injury sustained by an adult male while in police custody in Winnipeg. The IIU found no evidence to suggest that the injury was caused by the police.
The Winnipeg Police Service (WPS) had notified the IIU of the incident on May 12, which had taken place the previous day. At approximately 11:45 p.m. on May 11, officers responded to a 911 call about a man who had been assaulted by a group of people at a bus stop in the 500 block of Main Street.
Upon arrival, officers found the man sleeping on the ground with a head laceration and signs of intoxication. Paramedics transported him to Health Sciences Centre Winnipeg (HSC). While awaiting treatment, the man became agitated and verbally aggressive, attempting to punch an officer. He was subsequently restrained.
Medical tests revealed that the man had suffered a skull fracture. Surveillance video footage from city hall and HSC Winnipeg showed the man falling backward and hitting the back of his head on the concrete, with no one near him at the time of the fall.
As the incident involved a serious injury as defined under IIU regulations, the IIU assumed responsibility for the investigation in accordance with Section 65(4) of the Police Services Act. The IIU investigators obtained a statement from the man and reviewed the surveillance footage.
Following a thorough review of the evidence, the civilian director concluded that there was no evidence to suggest that the serious injury suffered by the man was caused by the police. As a result, the IIU has now completed its investigation and closed the case.
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