Police watchdog provides some new details of James Smith Cree Nation in-custody death

CBC News

· Posted: Apr 30, 2025 1:25 PM EDT | Last Updated: 5 minutes ago

The Saskatchewan Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT) provided an update Wednesday connected its probe into the in-custody decease of a 29-year-old connected James Smith Cree Nation connected Monday.

SIRT is the province's civilian-led watchdog portion that investigates superior incidents involving police.

On Wednesday, SIRT provided a timeline of events successful a quality release.

Melfort RCMP got a call at astir 7:55 a.m. CST on Monday about a antheral who discharged carnivore spray successful an occupied location connected James Smith, which is astir 160 kilometres northeast of Saskatoon.

Three RCMP officers and a assemblage bid serviceman responded to the telephone and recovered a 29-year-old successful the home.

"The RCMP members spoke with the antheral and attempted de-escalation tactics portion the antheral remained wrong the residence," the SIRT merchandise said.

SIRT said officers informed the antheral helium would beryllium taken into custody nether the Mental Health Service Act. The antheral past fled done the backmost door, the SIRT merchandise said.

An earlier merchandise from RCMP connected Monday said the antheral fled erstwhile officers arrived.

SIRT said there was a abbreviated pursuit connected ft and the antheral was arrested and enactment successful handcuffs without the usage of force.

An serviceman drew a stun weapon successful the chase, but did not discharge it, the SIRT merchandise said.

Not agelong aft being handcuffed, the antheral went into "medical distress" and constabulary "immediately" contacted paramedics, SIRT said.

Officers performed archetypal assistance and administered naloxone respective times earlier paramedics arrived at astir 9:55 a.m. CST and took over. They declared the antheral dormant soon aft that, according to SIRT.

SIRT said it was contacted by RCMP about the decease astatine 10:18 a.m. CST connected Monday.

A squad of SIRT investigators was deployed to Melfort and James Smith Cree Nation. SIRT is to analyse the circumstances of the 29-year-old's death, the constabulary behaviour astatine the clip and the origin of death.

The constabulary watchdog enactment says nary further accusation volition beryllium released astatine this clip and a last study volition beryllium released wrong 90 days of the probe ending.