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Prince Albert Grand Council wants answers into two recent in-custody deaths

Prince Albert police are currently investigating a report of gunshots on Monday afternoon.
PAGC is calling for answers as to what exactly happened to the recent in-custody deaths of two inmates from the Prince Albert Police Service. File Photo / Global News

Two recent in-custody deaths urged the Prince Albert Grand Council (PAGC) to make a call-out for answers from proper authorities, saying the deaths are “very alarming.”

“Something like this, we can’t pass up. It has be to addressed,” said PAGC Grand Chief Brian Hardlotte. “[Both] were similar deaths.”

The PAGC said they were in touch with a family of one of the deceased males where they are asking for help to find answers.

“They were First Nations members and I knew the [family] that called me,” said Hardlotte. “That’s what the concern [was] that there was a lack of information. They couldn’t release any information to the families of what exactly happened.”
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The Prince Albert Police Service (PAPS) has released statements regarding the in-custody deaths.

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PAPS is investigating the death of a 29-year-old male. During the early hours of Oct. 5, police were called to the Victoria Hospital for a disturbance report. PAPS indicated the male went into medical distress and later died in hospital on Oct. 12.

“While the male was in police custody for a brief period of time, he remained at the hospital,” according to a PAPS statement. “Police are treating this investigation as an in-custody death and an independent observer has been assigned by the province to oversee this investigation.”

Click to play video: 'Inquest starts into death of man while in Saskatoon police custody'
Inquest starts into death of man while in Saskatoon police custody

The second death involved a 35-year-old man who was arrested on Oct. 8. This case is being investigated by the Saskatchewan RCMP.

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“The man was remanded into custody following his arrest and was located unresponsive in his cell at the Prince Albert Police Service just after 7 p.m. on October 11,” according to a PAPS statement. “He was transported to hospital, where he was later pronounced deceased.”

The Saskatchewan Ministry of Corrections, Policing, and Public Safety released a statement stating they were notified of the two recent incidents in Prince Albert.
“The Ministry appointed Investigation Observers for both cases,” to the statement read.

Investigation observers are appointed through the Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT).

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