Alberta police watchdog to investigate in-custody death in Fort McMurray

CBC News

· Posted: May 22, 2025 1:55 PM EDT | Last Updated: 6 hours ago

Alberta's constabulary watchdog is investigating aft a antheral died past period successful the custody of RCMP successful Fort McMurray.

In a connection Thursday, the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team said it has been directed to analyse aft a antheral died connected April 30 during an attempted apprehension by Wood Buffalo RCMP officers.

According to ASIRT, constabulary had been called to respond to reports of an intoxicated antheral successful the country of a state presumption successful the Abasand neighbourhood erstwhile a conflict ensued betwixt 2 officers and the man. 

After being handcuffed, the antheral went into aesculapian distress. He was brought to infirmary wherever helium was declared dead. 

Fort McMurray is astir 430 kilometres northbound of Edmonton. 

ASIRT investigators said a review of information camera footage and video captured by RCMP vehicles astatine the scene indicate that the attempted apprehension was witnessed by aggregate people, including immoderate who look to beryllium videotaping the incident. 

Anyone who witnessed the event, oregon took video of it, are asked to interaction ASIRT. 

According to a May 1 RCMP quality release, constabulary were dispatched to the country of Athabasca Avenue and Abasand Drive astatine astir 4:15 p.m. pursuing reports of antheral causing a disturbance astatine a liquor store and extracurricular of a adjacent daycare.

Officers responded and spoke with the man, but helium refused to permission and past resisted arrest, constabulary said.

Police attempted life-saving measures earlier the antheral was taken to hospital.

ASIRT's probe volition analyse the actions of the arresting officers.