Daily Herald Staff
A 29-year-old man has died after being arrested in the backyard of a residence on James Smith Cree Nation.
The Melfort RCMP were called to the scene at around 7:55 a.m. on Monday following reports that a man had discharged bear spray inside an occupied residence. Five minutes later, a second person called police and reported the man may have used an illicit substance and was in the basement.
The man fled the residence on foot after the RCMP arrived, but officers followed him into the backyard where they arrested him.
Police reported that the man went into medical distress immediately after his arrest. The officers called EMS, administered naloxone multiple times, and provided CPR until the EMS arrived.
EMS declared the man dead at the scene. His family has been notified. He was 29-years-old.
Because the death occurred while the man was in custody, the RCMP notified the Saskatchewan Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT) of his death. The SIRT will investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.
editorial@paherald.sk.ca
