The Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba (IIU) has wrapped up its inquiry into the tragic in-custody death of an adult male at Long Plain First Nation. The incident, which occurred on July 9th, 2022, involved the Manitoba First Nations Police Service responding to a call about an intoxicated man who was behaving erratically.
At approximately 2:17 p.m., officers arrived on the scene and took him into custody without incident, lodging him at the Long Plain detachment. A well-being check was conducted shortly after and revealed the man was unresponsive. Officers immediately administered CPR while awaiting emergency medical services. Despite their efforts, he was later pronounced deceased at the Portage District General Hospital.
Following Sec. 65(4) of the Police Services Act, the IIU took over the investigation. The unit assigned investigators and designated two subject officers and three witness officers. Additionally, statements were collected from five professional witnesses and four civilian witnesses.
The circumstances, including a review by the Crown, it was determined that the standard for prosecuting charges had not been met. Consequently, the civilian director declined to authorize charges, marking the conclusion of the IIU investigation and closure of the matter.