Nova Scotia’s police oversight agency has cleared seven Halifax police officers of wrongdoing after they restrained a man who died at the conclusion of a chaotic arrest in February.
The Serious Incident Response Team says Halifax Regional Police officers responded on Feb. 28 to reports that a shoeless man dressed only in shorts was acting out of control near West Bedford School.
Police were also told the man, with whom they were familiar, was high on cocaine.
The officers reported that when they tried to speak to the man, he did not respond.
When the suspect clenched his fists and moved toward one of the officers, the officer tried to subdue him with a stun gun, but its barbed projectiles failed to make full contact.
The report from the police watchdog says another officer tried to place the man in a neck hold, but both slipped on some ice and fell to the ground.
The watchdog says the man continued to resist arrest and showed great strength as all seven officers eventually restrained him by placing cuffs on his wrists and ankles.
Shortly afterward, he stopped breathing, prompting officers and firefighters at the scene to attempt life-saving measures.
The male was later pronounced dead in hospital.