The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations is calling out the Prince Albert Police Service in regard to an incident that the federation says left a man brain-dead.
On April 1, Boden Umpherville was in the driver seat of a vehicle with the vehicle’s registered owner in the passenger seat.
Police stopped the vehicle as part of a stolen vehicle investigation. A release from the Prince Albert Police confirmed the use conducted energy weapons on Umpherville, who went into medical distress after.
FSIN says Umpherville is now considered brain dead, and Saskatchewan’s Serious Incident Response Team is now looking into the incident.
A loaded handgun was located at the scene, SIRT said.
According to an FSIN release, the owner of the vehicle said she never reported the vehicle as stolen.
FSIN claims three videos making the rounds online show tasers being deployed more than once, and Umpherville being struck several times with pepper spray and batons.
“In these videos, one can observe a gang-like mentality displayed by the officers swarming Mr. Umpherville,” said FSIN second Vice Chief Edward Dutch Lerat at a news conference on Friday.
“The trust has been eroded and continues to be eroded.”
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FSIN also claims that Umpherville was left in handcuffs on the ground when he collapsed, and that medical attention wasn’t administered right away.
The release said the family will be taking Umpherville off life support to die due to him not having any brain activity.
“His family is left with no answers to their questions and significant concerns over the transparency over any accountability for the police,” Lerat said.
They add that physicians state that Umpherville’s condition was exacerbated by a 20-minute period during which his heart had stopped before resuscitation.
The release said that nine officers were identified in the incident by SIRT and were placed on one week of leave, adding that they are now back on regular duties.
Media relations for Prince Albert Police confirmed in an email to Global News that all officers involved had returned.
“It seems like we are raising this issue every two or three months as it relates to policing in Prince Albert,” Lerat said.
“Last year, the FSIN expressed our concerns with the Prince Albert Police Service in connection with two significant recent events that lead to the deaths of our First Nation members. The deaths were completely preventable in our estimation and occurred due to the attitudes of the police towards our First Nation’s people,” Lerat said at the news conference.
“We have to have faith in a process that has not brought justice for the other recent tragedies as a result of the actions of the Prince Albert Police Service.”
FSIN promised to support the family of Umpherville as they wait for answers from SIRT and the Prince Albert police.
In an email statement to Global News, SIRT said no additional information can be provided about the ongoing investigation at this time. They confirmed a public report on the incident will be released no more than 90 days after the conclusion of the investigation.
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