Investigation underway after man dies in Saskatoon police cell

A 51-year-old man died in a cell in the Saskatoon Police Service’s detention unit early Thursday.

In a media release, police said officers responded to a call about an intoxicated male who had fallen in the 1400 block of Eighth Street East at about 9 p.m. Wednesday.

Paramedics examined the man while police unsuccessfully tried to find a place for him to stay. As a result, he was taken to police headquarters where he was assessed by an on-duty paramedic, taken to a cell and then checked on regularly by staff.

At about 1:20 a.m. Thursday, the man was found unresponsive. Efforts were made to revive him, but he was pronounced dead. An autopsy is scheduled for Friday.

The Saskatchewan government has appointed two independent investigative observers as the police service probes the man’s death.

Police said paramedics started working 24/7 in the detention unit in 2016, when the last in-custody death occurred in that area.