The Saskatchewan Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT) will investigate the death of a 35-year-old man in Saskatoon Police custody on Tuesday morning.

Officers responded to a 9-1-1 call just before 9am reporting that a five-year-old child had been assaulted with a weapon at a residence on the 300 block of Avenue Q South. A man was taken into custody following a brief struggle.

He was transported to Police Headquarters where officers report there was a second physical struggle. The man was placed inside the cell and almost immediately was observed to be in medical distress. The man was removed from the cell with police and paramedics attempting life-saving measures. The man was pronounced dead at 10:08.

The Saskatchewan Serious Incident Response Team will examine the conduct of police during the incident, including circumstances surround the man’s arrest and detention, and the cause of the death. A final report will be issued to the public within 90 days of the investigation ending.

The Saskatoon Police Service Serious Assault Unit will continue to investigate an alleged assault involving the five-year-old and a 40-year-old woman.