‘Aggressive and confrontational’: Man useless after being taken into custody by Saskatoon police

A man is dead after being “aggressive and confrontational” with the Saskatoon Police Service (SPS).

After receiving several calls about a 32-year-old man “causing a disturbance,” officers were dispatched to the 500 block of 5th Avenue North just before 1 a.m. Saturday.

The calls allege the man was “screaming that someone was trying to kill him,” according to an SPS news release Saturday morning.

The man was carrying a large butcher knife and a bottle of alcohol, witnesses said.

Police chased the man who fled on foot and found him a short time later on Queen Street. Police said the man’s face was covered in blood and he was under the influence of an intoxicant.

The man was spitting blood on the officers, leading to a brief struggle where the officers were able to take him into custody.

According to the news release, Medavie was called and treated the man’s face. However, he became “unresponsive” when paramedics arrived and died on the way to the hospital.

SPS has asked the Regina Police Service to conduct an independent and external investigation into the death.

The Ministry of Corrections, Policing and Public Safety will also be appointing an independent observer.