‘Trying to kill him’: Inquest to determine how Saskatoon man died at hospital

WATCH: An inquest into the death of 32-year-old Ashwin Poggenpoel who died while in police custody is scheduled for next mont

An inquest will examine the circumstances surrounding the death of Ashwin Poggenpoel, a 32-year-old Saskatoon man who died at Royal University Hospital in 2022.

On June 18, 2022, just before 1 a.m., Saskatoon police responded to reports of a disturbance on the 500 block of 5th Avenue North. Witnesses described a man as carrying a large butcher knife and a bottle of alcohol and screaming that “someone was trying to kill him.”

Police say when officers arrived, the man fled on foot and was later found on Queen Street with his face covered in blood.

According to police, he became aggressive and confrontational while being taken into custody, spitting blood at officers.

After being treated by Medavie paramedics for his injuries, he was pronounced dead shortly after.

Poggenpoel’s obituary describes him as a family man who loved creating music. His family had moved to Canada from Cape Town, South Africa, when he was 18.

The Saskatchewan Coroners Service is tasked with investigating all sudden, unexpected deaths. A coroner’s inquest is called anytime someone dies while in custody, unless the coroner is satisfied the death was entirely due to natural causes.

Coroner William Davern will preside over the inquest, scheduled for June 9-13 at the Saskatoon Inn and Conference Centre.

The jury will hear evidence and provide recommendations to prevent similar deaths in the future.