Indigenous man dies in hospital after ‘incident’ at Headingley jail

An Indigenous man has died after he had what RCMP are calling an “incident” with corrections officers at Headingley jail.

Manitoba RCMP reported that the man, 45, was taken to hospital suffering from life-threatening injuries Sunday, Feb. 7.

Police said they were told about the man at about 7 p.m. that day, calling it “a report of an unresponsive male resulting from an incident with Corrections Officers at the Headingley Correctional Centre.”

On Monday, RCMP confirmed that the man had died in hospital on Sunday.

“RCMP Major Crime Services has taken carriage of the investigation and is being assisted by RCMP Forensic Identification Services and Headingley RCMP,” they said.

RCMP had no details on what, exactly, happened, and only said Monday that the Major Crime Services unit was still investigating.

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Monday, Sakeeng First Nation chief Derrick Henderson confirmed the man, William Walter Ahmo, was a member of the First Nation.

“Since the incident William remained in the Intensive Care Unit at the Health Sciences Centre in Winnipeg under guard by corrections officers until his death last night.”

Henderson said they, too, do not know the details surrounding Ahmo’s death.

“The Sagkeeng First Nation Government is committed to supporting William’s family now in the time of their terrible grief and hereafter in order to ensure that all the facts of this matter are disclosed and that justice is done,” said Henderson in a statement sent to media.

“We await the results of the RCMP investigation and demand that all necessary steps are taken immediately by Manitoba Corrections to ensure the safety and humane treatment of the inmates of correctional centres.”