ASIRT releases information on continued investigation into death

By MEDICINE HAT NEWS on August 11, 2023.

The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team released information Thursday regarding its investigation in a death following an encounter with the Medicine Hat Police Service on Sunday.
In a media release, ASIRT says at approximately 2:02 p.m. on Aug. 6, MHPS received a 911 call about a man screaming and swinging a machete. Police officers responded to an apartment at 144 Second Avenue SE, where they spoke with a 44-year-old man and informed him he was under arrest for possession of weapons for a dangerous purpose.
They say the man ignored directions from police and barricaded himself inside a residence. The MHPS tactical team arrived and spoke with the man, who exited the residence holding a machete and knife before advancing toward the police. The tactical team deployed non-lethal rounds at the man and restrained him and found two weapons at the scene.
ASIRT says at 8:03 p.m., the man was transported to hospital and turned over to the care of hospital staff where at approximately 8:56 p.m., the man stopped breathing. Emergency medical measures were unsuccessful and the man died.
ASIRT’s says its investigation will examine the use of force by the officers with no additional information to be released.
As part of its ongoing investigation, ASIRT says it is continuing efforts to identify people who may have witnessed aspects of the confrontation between the man and police, and is asking anyone who may have been in the area, who may have witnessed these events and/or may have video to contact investigators at 403-592-4306.
The provincial response team issued a social media post Tuesday saying it had, “been directed to investigate a death after an interaction with @medicinehatpolice officers on August 6. Details to follow.”
The Medicine Hat Police Service was contacted for comment Thursday but did not respond by time of press.
ASIRT’s mandate is to independently investigate incidents involving Alberta’s police that have resulted in serious injury or death to any person, as well as serious or sensitive allegations of police misconduct.

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