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Watchdog agency asked to look into man's death following arrest at LRT station

CALGARY — Alberta's police oversight agency has been asked to investigate a death that police say happened after a suspect was arrested at a light-rail train station.

Calgary police say in a news release that they were called to the Marlborough CTrain station on Friday for reports of a man in possession of an airsoft gun.

They the man was cooperative when police arrived and they took him into custody without incident, and they say the arrest was captured on a body-worn camera.

He was charged with breach-related offences, police say, and was transported to Spyhill Services Centre where they say he was cleared by a medic and placed in a holding cell.

Police say that during a routine check of the cells at 8 p.m. the man was eating his meal, but at the next check he was found unresponsive.

They say that despite "significant lifesaving efforts" he was pronounced dead at approximately 8:40 p.m.

"We have recently undergone significant work to ensure that our standards are in line with current best practices for in-custody care," police said in the news release.

"However out of an abundance of caution, we will be reviewing this incident to inform our procedures."

Police said that as is standard practice with a death in custody, the Director of Law Enforcement was notified and has directed the oversight body, the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team, to investigate.

Calgary police said in the release that it "has extensive systems and protocols already in place to ensure the care of arrestees, including medical clearance checks for every arrestee prior to being admitted into a cell, searches of individuals before being taken into custody, CCTV systems to monitor people in custody and regular cell checks."

Police said that since it's now an active investigation by the watchdog agency, it won't release further details.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 25, 2020.

The Canadian Press

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