A serious injury took place in Portage la Prairie when a 17-year-old male was arrested. It was reported on May 4, 2022, to the Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba (IIU) by the RCMP.
It was on May 3rd, 2022 just before 10 p.m. that a call was made to the RCMP in Portage that four people were bear sprayed outside of a residence in the community. RCMP Members arrived and patrolled the area where two of the involved males were located and fled the area on foot in separate directions.
An RCMP member ran after one of them, later identified as AP. The suspect was told he was under arrest and to stop running. As AP was running away, he then tripped on some ice in a ditch, got back up, stumbled forward, and tried to get back up again.
The officer performed a takedown on AP by grabbing his shoulder. The suspect was then placed under arrest and informed the officer that his leg was broken.
Immediate medical attention was provided and the minor was transported by ambulance to the local hospital. AP stated that he could not believe that the police caught him after only making it 10 feet. He commented that he could have made it, if he had not broken his leg when he slipped into the ditch.
As the allegations in the notification concern a broken leg sustained by AP during his arrest by police, this is a mandatory investigation pursuant to the provisions of The Police Services Act (PSA) and regulations. IIU investigators were assigned to this matter.
On May 4, at 1:55 p.m., IIU investigators made contact with AP by telephone. During that conversation, AP stated, "The RCMP did not do it, I broke my own leg. While I was running from the police, I slipped on a piece of black ice and broke my own leg."
IIU investigators requested an opportunity to meet with AP in person and obtain a statement from him. AP advised that he was not obligated to meet with IIU investigators and accordingly declined to meet with or provide a statement to them. Since that time, AP has not made any attempts to have further contacts or communications with IIU investigators.
In light of the fact that AP has accepted sole and full responsibility for the cause of his serious injury coupled with his position that he will not cooperate with the investigation, the civilian director is not satisfied that there exists sufficient grounds or purpose to continue this investigation and has concluded that this matter be terminated