SIU investigating man's death hours after police arrest
Ontario's police watchdog is investigating after a 49-year-old man arrested by Ottawa police late Tuesday afternoon was found unresponsive in a police station cell hours later. He was later pronounced dead in hospital.
Ottawa police arrested a man at a home around 4:45 p.m. Tuesday as officers carried out a warrant, the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) wrote in a news release Wednesday morning.
The unidentified man was taken to Ottawa police headquarters on Elgin Street and placed in a cell.
The SIU said he was found unresponsive in the cell around 9:30 p.m.
Paramedics were called to take the man to hospital, where he was pronounced dead just after 10 p.m. He had lost vital signs before arrival, said the SIU.
An autopsy is scheduled to take place Wednesday.
The SIU, which investigates when law enforcement officials are involved in a death, serious injury, shooting or allegations of sexual assault, is asking anyone with information to call 1-800-787-8529.
Ottawa police said in a news release all information on the incident would be released through the SIU.
