IIU clears police of two deaths last summer – Winnipeg Free Press

Manitoba's police watchdog has cleared officers in the deaths of two men after separate incidents last summer.

One of the events took place on September 2. Police were called to the area of ​​Main and James Avenue after a shirtless man swung his seat belt and swerved cars as he drove down the middle of Main Street.

The police officers put handcuffs on the hands of the man who behaved disorderly and put a dried orange substance in his mouth and tried to control his legs.

His condition worsened in the ambulance and he was taken to the hospital in critical condition. He died the next day from brain damage caused by coronary artery disease, with methamphetamine and cocaine use as contributing factors.

Another death occurred on July 5. Officers found the stolen vehicle parked on Robson Street that morning. The man was sitting inside the car, IIU said.

Officers tried to detain him, but he resisted, so they used force, the IIU said. The man remained unresponsive.

Police administered naloxone, an opioid overdose reversal agent, and performed CPR. The man was taken to the hospital and died an hour later.

An autopsy determined he died of acute cocaine and methamphetamine poisoning. Aggravating factors are that he has a heart defect and is physically limited.

The Independent Investigations Unit said in separate reports released Thursday that police actions were appropriate in both cases.

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