THUNDER BAY -- The province's Special Investigations Unit is probing the death of a 50-year-old man who died while in custody of Thunder Bay police.
The man, who was being held at the Thunder Bay Police Service station on Balmoral Street, died early Thursday morning about an hour after he was found not breathing in a cell, according to a news release issued by the SIU on Thursday afternoon.
SIU investigating death of 50yo man who was lodged in Thunder Bay police station cell last night. https://t.co/2RT4OZ9SHm
— SIU (@SIUOntario) July 20, 2017
Police and Superior North EMS paramedics were called to an address on Fort William Road just before 8 p.m. on Wednesday to deal with an individual. The person was medically cleared by paramedics and taken to the city police station, where he was placed in a holding cell.
Just after midnight, the man was found not breathing and attempts to save his life began. Paramedics were contacted. The man was then rushed to hospital where he was pronounced dead at 1:30 a.m.
No information about the man's identity or cause of death were provided.
The SIU, a civilian watchdog that investigates reports of death, serious injury or sexual assault involving police, has invoked their mandate and has assigned four investigators and two forensic investigators to the case.
Four Thunder Bay police witness officers and one subject officer have been designated.
The SIU is urging anyone with any information to contact the lead investigator at 1-800-787-8529 ext. 2293 and anyone with video evidence related to the incident is asked to upload that video through the SIU website.
The agency is tasked with determining whether any officer has committed a criminal offence. depending on the evidence lay criminal charges if deemed appropriate or close the file without laying charges and reporting the results of the investigations to the Attorney General.
