Alberta’s police watchdog is investigating after a man was found dead in Edmonton police custody the day after he was arrested. In a Friday media release, the Edmonton Police Service (EPS) said the man was found not breathing and without a pulse in his cell when officers entered to begin the release process at about 7 p.m. on Thursday. EPS said the man was removed from the cell and the on-duty paramedic started CPR. Edmonton Fire Rescue Services and EMS were called and also attempted life-saving measures, EPS said, before the man was declared dead at 7:55 p.m. Police told CTV News Edmonton that officers arrested the man on Wednesday in connection with a reported theft at a business. He was arrested and charged with theft under $5,000 and breach of an undertaking. EPS has directed the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) to investigate. ASIRT investigates events where serious injury or death may have been caused by police.
