Saint-Eustache police detainee dies following arrest, watchdog investigating
Person lost consciousness while in detention, police watchdog says
A person arrested and detained by police in Saint-Eustache, north of Montreal, has died after sustaining injuries while in custody Saturday.
The Bureau des enquêtes indépendantes (BEI) said in a news release published Saturday that it received a 911 call around 8:30 a.m. about a motorist who drove off the road and then ran away.
The BEI investigates in all cases where a person, other than an officer on duty, dies, suffers serious injury or is injured by a firearm used by a police officer.
Saint-Eustache police officers arrived at the scene minutes later and used pepper spray on the person before arresting them, according to the agency.
At 8:50 a.m., police reportedly took the person to the detention centre, where they lost consciousness.
The BEI said first aid was administered until ambulances arrived half an hour later. The person was then taken to hospital in critical condition. Sunday evening, the BEI said the person had died.
Four BEI investigators have been assigned to investigate the circumstances of the intervention. No further information is available at this time, the agency said.
Quebec provincial police said they opened a criminal investigation into the incident, but did not provide additional details.