Two city police cleared in death of intoxicated man who died in custody

Edmonton police did nothing wrong when they restrained an intoxicated man attempting to climb onto a balcony who later died, Alberta’s police watchdog said Wednesday.

The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) released its findings on the Aug. 18, 2016, death of a 34-year-old man.

Two Edmonton police officers responded after the man, who had a history of violence involving weapons, showed up at a family member’s apartment intoxicated and “freaking out.”

The man was calm and compliant when police arrived, but later attempted to go onto the 14th floor balcony and threw something over the railing.

Police restrained him and took him to the floor. He was initially responsive and able to speak afterward, but his condition rapidly deteriorated. He later stopped breathing while police waited for an ambulance.

The medical examiner found the man died of “excited delirium syndrome” related to methamphetamine toxicity. ASIRT was asked to review whether police played any role in the man’s death.

“While his death was tragic, the actions of the officers were not only reasonable and lawful in the circumstances, they were necessary,” ASIRT concluded in a release Wednesday.

Police got the initial call from Alberta Hospital — which provides mental health care, including for people in custody — just before 9 p.m. the day of the man’s death. He had been released from the hospital on a pass but did not comply with conditions and failed to return.

ASIRT said officers acted reasonably when they stopped the man from making his way onto the balcony. The officers used a wrist-lock as a “pain-compliance technique” to control the man but did not strike him.

ASIRT also found the officers were in no way negligent while caring for the man after he went into medical distress. They performed chest compressions after the man began to have trouble breathing.

Police later found the man had a small bag of methamphetamine and a bottle of 40 unidentified yellow pills on his person. A search of a hotel room where the man had been living turned up evidence of drug use, including syringes.

ASIRT called the incident tragic and extended condolences to the man’s family.