Officials said Tuesday that the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) had been called in to investigate circumstances leading up to the death of a man, who was in police custody at the time of his death.
ASIRT said Edmonton Police Service (EPS) officers were called to a home in northeast Edmonton just after 11:30 p.m. Monday night. When they entered the home, police found an agitated man, who was armed with a knife.
Officers used a conducted energy weapon, often referred to as a Taser – and after a struggle, the man was disarmed and taken into custody.
Officials said the man went into medical distress while he was still in the home, and officers started first aid while paramedics were called, the man was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead.
ASIRT has been called in to investigate, focusing on the circumstances surrounding officer contact with the deceased, to determine whether police conduct caused the man’s death, and if that constitutes a criminal offence.
