No charges for Winnipeg police officers who handcuffed overdosing suspect

Manitoba’s police watchdog has decided not to charge the Winnipeg police officers who handcuffed an unconscious suspect who later died from an overdose. According to the final report from the head of the Independent Investigation Unit (IIU) of Manitoba, placing the man in handcuffs was a proper action that enabled the officers to administer naloxone, an antidote for overdoses.

The report, authored by IIU civilian director Bruce M. Sychuk, stated that no specific officer could be identified as responsible for any misconduct. The five officers who responded to the call were considered witnesses, along with nine civilians who were present at the scene or provided medical assistance. The IIU also reviewed a video captured inside a home during the incident.

The police were called to a break-and-enter report at a home on the 100 block of Burrin Avenue on April 1. Both occupants identified the suspect, who entered through the back door uninvited, according to the IIU's account. The woman inside the home described the suspect as talking incoherently, acting as if he was talking to non-existent people, having dilated pupils, and foaming at the mouth.

Both witnesses confirmed that police did not use force on the suspect, and one reported that he was breathing after being handcuffed, although his lips were blue. Medical professionals who cared for him stated that there were no visible injuries or trauma. The man was taken to St. Boniface Hospital, where he passed away. A toxicology report revealed that he had drugs in his system, including cocaine and a benzodiazepine derivative called nordiazepam. His autopsy concluded that the cause of death was acute cocaine toxicity.