Ministry of Justice releases timeline of RCMP in-custody death near Kipling

According to an update provided by the Ministry of Justice Thursday afternoon, RCMP received a call about a driver whose vehicle was stuck in the ditch of a grid road around 4:27 p.m. Monday. (File Photo/CTV News)

More details have come to light surrounding the death of a man who died in Broadview RCMP custody earlier this week.

RCMP had previously said the 58-year-old died while in the back of a police vehicle near the community of Kipling on Monday. Kipling is located around 150 kilometres southeast of Regina.

According to an update provided by the Ministry of Justice Thursday afternoon, RCMP received a call about a driver whose vehicle was stuck in the ditch of a grid road around 4:27 p.m. Monday.

The caller described the man as “intoxicated and belligerent” and told police he would remain on scene to help redirect traffic until Mounties arrived.

At 5:02 p.m., an officer arrived and found the 58-year-old behind the wheel of the vehicle, who the province says denied any injury when asked.

“The RCMP member attempted to obtain a roadside breath sample from the man, but when unable to do so, at approximately 5:04 p.m., informed the man that he was under arrest for impaired driving and instructed him to exit the vehicle,” the update read.

“The man indicated he was unable to exit the vehicle and at approximately 5:06 p.m., the RCMP member requested that EMS attend the scene as the man complained of shortness of breath.”

The ministry says another officer arrived just a minute later, who attempted to convince the man to exit the vehicle along with the initial caller and the other officer.

The man was removed from the vehicle at about 5:12 p.m. after attempts to convince him failed, with police then escorting him to their vehicle.

The province says he was placed in the RCMP vehicle around 5:18 p.m., but he slumped over and was deemed unresponsive at roughly 5:24 p.m.

Mounties took him out of the vehicle and began to perform CPR until EMS arrived, according to the ministry.

Paramedics took over at about 5:28 p.m. before declaring him dead at roughly 6:02 p.m.

According to the ministry, the initial caller who remained on scene was an acquaintance of the man.

The Saskatchewan Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT) was notified about 20 minutes later and took over the investigation. SIRT is mandated to investigate deaths, serious injuries or other forms of alleged harm involving police officers.

“SIRT’s investigation will examine the conduct of police during this incident, including the circumstances surrounding the man’s death,” the update read.

“No further information will be released at this time. A final report will be issued to the public within 90 days of the investigation ending.”