Saskatchewan’s police watchdog is investigating after a 42-year-old man died following a day-long standoff with RCMP.
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The Saskatchewan Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT) was called in Wednesday, March 18, after the man was found injured inside a home on Onion Lake Cree Nation.
The incident began around 8:15 a.m. when RCMP received reports that a woman was being held against her will by her former domestic partner, who was said to be armed. While the woman managed to escape the residence shortly after 9 a.m., the man remained inside.
For several hours, crisis negotiators and the Emergency Response Team (ERT) attempted to persuade the man to surrender. During the standoff, officers deployed tear gas into the home. When the man failed to exit, ERT members entered the residence and discovered he was injured.
Despite first aid provided by officers and paramedics, the man was pronounced dead at the scene at 4:43 p.m.
Investigators recovered three firearms from the home, including a rifle with a spent shell casing in the chamber.
Because the home was located just across the Alberta-Saskatchewan border, three investigators from the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) have been deployed to assist the six-member Saskatchewan team. A community liaison will also be appointed to oversee the process.
SIRT’s investigation will focus on the conduct of the officers involved, while the RCMP will continue to investigate the initial confinement complaint and the man’s actions during the standoff.
A final report is expected to be released within 90 days of the conclusion of the investigation.
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