Bag of meth found in stomach of man in custody; Edmonton police not responsible for death

A 25-year-old man who died in police custody on April 29, 2015 died from “excited delirium brought on by methamphetamine toxicity,” Alberta’s police watchdog has determined.

The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) investigated the man’s death and cleared EPS officers of “any wrongdoing” nearly two years later.

READ MORE: ASIRT investigating EPS in-custody death 

On April 29, 2015 at around 9:18 p.m., security officers at the City Centre Mall arrested a man for trespassing in a stairwell, ASIRT said.

“The man appeared under the influence of alcohol or drugs, did not follow verbal direction, and resisted the attempts of mall security to take him into custody, including kicking at the security offers,” ASIRT said in a news release Wednesday.

“The man talked and yelled over the security officers as they attempted to explain the arrest and his rights and he exhibited bizarre behaviour. A request for police assistance was made.”

Two police officers arrived and took the man into custody. The man continued to resist as officers moved him from the cell, did a search, and moved him to the police vehicle, ASIRT said.

“He was observed twisting and attempting to pull away and… let his body weight fall to the floor,” ASIRT said. “He was observed to be breathing heavily, mumbling and yelling, mostly incoherently.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "He was observed twisting and attempting to pull away and… let his body weight fall to the floor," ASIRT said. "He was observed to be breathing heavily, mumbling and yelling, mostly incoherently."

According to the agency, the two officers called ahead to ask for help bringing the man from the police vehicle into the station. It said four officers “had to use physical force in order to restrain the man to bring him under control and place him in handcuffs and leg restrains.”

ASIRT said the man continued to resist, kick and scream incoherently and police believed he was under the influence of some kind of controlled substance. EPS called EMS in case the man needed to be assessed or treated.

The man was conscious when he was brought into the police station but once he was put on the floor of the holding cell in the recovery position, “he now appeared to be unconscious and in medical distress,” ASIRT said.

It said police removed the man’s restraints and tried to save him. Once EMS arrived, “paramedics continued lifesaving efforts while transporting the man to hospital.”

He couldn’t be stabalized and died.

An autopsy found “somewhat advanced coronary artery disease… something which could be consistent with those who chronically abuse stimulant drugs such as methamphetamine or cocaine,” ASIRT said.

Toxicology results also detected meth and its metabolites in his blood.

“A baggie which screened positive for methamphetamine was recovered from the man’s stomach,” the agency’s news release said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "A baggie which screened positive for methamphetamine was recovered from the man's stomach," the agency's news release said.

“Cause of death was attributed to excited delirium brought on by methamphetamine toxicity.”

ASIRT said the struggle with police would have furthered the negative metabolic impact of the meth toxicity, but the use of restraints didn’t play a role in the man’s death.

None of the officers involved will be charged.

“This finding in no way diminishes the sad fact that a family has lost its loved one. On behalf of ASIRT, the executive director extends condolences to the family and friends of the deceased in relation to this tragic event.”