Report that clears Prince Albert, Sask., police in death of Boden Umpherville 'appalling,' family says

Alexander Quon · CBC News

· Posted: Mar 14, 2025 6:25 PM EDT | Last Updated: 5 minutes ago

WARNING: This communicative contains details and images that could beryllium disturbing

The household of a antheral who died aft being arrested by constabulary successful Prince Albert is condemning the study issued by Saskatchewan's police watchdog that clears officers of immoderate wrongdoing. 

"It was expected, but it's appalling to spot what it was written successful determination and the ways that they person justified their actions," said Chase Sinclair, a spokesperson for the household of Boden Umpherville.

On April 1, 2023, Umpherville was sent to infirmary after officers with the Prince Albert Police Service deployed five stun guns a full of 15 times, sprayed him with capsicum spray and deed him aggregate times with a baton and their knees, according to the province's Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT).

The 40-year-old remained connected beingness enactment for astir a period before he died connected April 26.

The study issued by SIRT connected Friday concludes that an autopsy ruled Umpherville's death was the effect of a cardiac arrest, caused by positional asphyxia — erstwhile a idiosyncratic can't respire owed to the presumption of their assemblage — and cocaine intoxication.

It's possible the stun guns played a relation but that was unlikely, according to the autopsy.

The SIRT study says a toxicology study recovered the beingness of cocaine. The levels "are accordant with the ingestion of a ample magnitude of cocaine prior" to the samples being collected astatine the hospital. 

Investigators with SIRT concluded that the constabulary officers' use of unit was justified and was responsive to Umpherville's level of resistance. 

"The restraint and effect that followed that arrest fall wrong the ranges that are protected by law," concludes the report.

"As a result, nary charges volition beryllium laid." 

The arrest 

The events leading to Umpherville's decease began erstwhile a pistillate reported her Dodge Avenger stolen soon earlier 2 a.m. connected April 1, 2023.

Officers were dispatched to analyse and, aft a little search, they recovered a conveyance matching the statement provided by the caller.

The conveyance was yet stopped successful an alley. Inside were 3 people: a woman successful the driver seat, Umpherville in the rider seat and a 3rd idiosyncratic successful the rear rider seat.

Police would aboriginal find retired that the pistillate successful the driver seat was the idiosyncratic who had reported her conveyance stolen. She had reclaimed the vehicle conscionable a fewer minutes earlier constabulary arrived. 

SIRT's study lays retired however Umpherville initially provided constabulary with a name, aboriginal determined to beryllium false. As the archetypal serviceman continued to investigate, much Prince Albert constabulary officers responded to the scene. 

WATCH | From 2023: Family privation answers from Prince Albert police: 

Six officers yet arrived earlier the apprehension began and 2 much officers arrived during the arrest. 

One of the officers recognized Umpherville from a erstwhile enactment with him and was capable to supply investigators with Umpherville's actual name. 

The different radical successful the conveyance got out. 

Other constabulary officers recalled that Umpherville had outstanding warrants. As constabulary attempted to spot Umpherville nether arrest, helium braced himself wrong the vehicle. 

Officers struck Umpherville with a baton and used stun guns ineffectively, arsenic good arsenic capsicum spray, arsenic helium continued to defy being removed from the vehicle, according to SIRT. 

Umpherville moved into the driver seat of the conveyance and was capable to displacement the conveyance into cogwheel earlier revving the engine. 

Officers backed disconnected and the 40-year-old was capable to adjacent the doorway connected the operator side. 

'I can't breathe'

Eventually, officers were capable to usage a stun weapon effectively, allowing them to get Umpherville retired of the car. He continued to defy arsenic officers tried to spot him successful handcuffs, the study said. 

Police said they recovered a gun successful a holster connected Umpherville and removed it from his possession, arsenic good arsenic a weapon strapped to his chest. 

The SIRT investigation recovered that an electrical probe from a stun weapon was lodged successful the mag good of the gun and said that "confirms" the limb was connected Umpherville's assemblage astatine the clip of his arrest. 

Sinclair said that mentation is excessively convenient.

"They accidental that to the nationalist and say, 'Hey, judge that this is what happened.' But not erstwhile successful determination is simply a dependable from the victims," Sinclair said. 

The study said Umpherville continued to conflict arsenic officers attempted to hunt him. He began breathing hard and stated words to the effect of "I can't breathe." 

Police deed Umpherville with a baton repeatedly before yet taking him into custody. 

Paramedics arrived conscionable a fewer minutes later. As they wheeled Umpherville toward the ambulance, his breathing became shallow and stopped. 

Live-saving efforts were attempted and they were concisely capable to get a pulse portion connected the mode to the hospital. Umpherville remained connected beingness enactment with nary encephalon enactment earlier dying connected April 26. 

SIRT concluded that the constabulary officers' actions were successful effect to Umpherville's determination to not beryllium arrested. 

"The level of unit was reflective archetypal of the level of absorption offered and aboriginal to the level of menace presented by [Umpherville] during the incident," the study said.

'I'm not settling with this'

Sinclair said Umpherville's household members bash not deliberation the study is an close practice of what happened. 

They are weighing their options and considering what tin beryllium done present that the SIRT study has been published. 

That could see filing a suit oregon turning to larger Indigenous institutions specified as the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations oregon the Assembly of First Nations. 

Sinclair said this study and the events starring up to Umpherville's decease are examples of the systemic issues facing Indigenous radical successful Canada. 

"I'm not settling with this. There's nary way. Neither is this family. I don't deliberation immoderate Indigenous idiosyncratic should," Sinclair said.