Man dies in hospital after behaving erratically in southwest Edmonton, ASIRT investigating

A man who was arrested while behaving erratically in the middle of the night in a southwest Edmonton suburb died 12 days later in hospital, and now Alberta’s police watchdog is looking into the situation.

On Wednesday, Sept. 20 around 12:45 a.m., officers with the Edmonton Police Service responded to Shaske Crescent in the South Terwillegar neighbourhood.

Police said a 46-year-old man was reportedly acting erratic and possibly impaired while swinging an ice chipper at the ground and at a passing vehicle.

Officers arrived in the area just before 1 a.m. and spoke to the man from a distance, the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) said.

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The officers approached the man and told him to lie on the ground and put down the ice chipper, with which he complied, police and ASIRT said.

While the man was being placed in handcuffs, police said he went into medical distress. EMS was called and offices began performing CPR. Paramedics arrived at 1:08 a.m., and treated and transported the man to hospital.

Police said on Monday, Oct. 2, the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team was advised by the medical examiner’s office that the man had died in hospital.

ASIRT got in touch with Edmonton police, who notified the director of law enforcement, who has since directed the ASIRT to investigate the incident.

The police watchdog said its investigation will examine the use of force and on Oct. 17, said it’s trying to identify people who may have witnessed aspects of the encounter between the man and police.

ASIRT is asking anyone who may have been in the area and may have witnessed these events, and/or may have video to contact investigators at 780-644-1483.

The government agency investigates incidents involving Alberta’s police that have resulted in serious injury or death to any person, as well as serious or sensitive allegations of police misconduct.