Winnipeg police officers won’t be charged over a man’s death in custody following a third-party investigation.
Manitoba’s police watchdog was looking into the death of a 44-year-old man, who it reports was forcefully arrested on Aug. 9, 2017.
The Independent Investigations Unit says it started when police suspected the man was carrying a firearm in a duffle bag.
An officer told the IIU that after police chased him on foot, the suspect moved his hand toward his waist and the officer kicked and punched him in the face.
A semi-automatic rifle was found in the suspect’s bag, according the IIU release.
After being taken into custody, the man complained of sore, possibly broken ribs. Police told the IIU the man then kicked and tried to punch an officer. Another officer intervened and punched the man’s abdomen.
The IIU said the man was taken to hospital but medical records showed no sign of injury, and he was discharged on Aug. 10.
Later that morning, a hospital medical entry showed the man had suffered a fractured rib, but it hadn’t been entered until after the man left hospital with police, said the IIU.
The investigation found no evidence suggesting police knew about the injury when they left the hospital to take the suspect to the Winnipeg Remand Centre’s medical wing.
The man reportedly went into medical distress on Aug. 11 and was taken to hospital where he underwent surgery. He died on Aug. 13.
The IIU says the autopsy reported the cause of death as complications due to blunt trauma to the torso.
Manitoba Prosecution Services advised the IIU there was no reasonably likelihood of conviction and no charges would be authorized against either officer involved.
