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No Charges Against RCMP Officers Relating to Arrest of Lower Sackville Man
The province's independent Serious Incident Response Team (SiRT) released its report today regarding its investigation into the October 18, 2017 arrest of a 21-year old male in Lower Sackville.
On the morning of October 18, 2017, the Lower Sackville RCMP received a call for service in relation to a male who had damaged merchandise at the Dollarama store on Sackville Drive. A few minutes later a second call was received from staff at Good Life Fitness, located in close proximity to the Dollarama store, about a male who was refused entry and then pulled a knife on one of the fitness club members in the parking lot.
The police proceeded to an address associated with the male, now referred to as the Affected Party (“AP”), where they engaged in conversations with him through the door of his apartment as he refused to open the door. The police became concerned for the AP’s safety after hearing him say a number of things that indicated he would self-harm including that he would slit his throat if the police entered his apartment. At one point the AP even put a razor blade under the door for the police to take. He told the police he had more razor blades.
At some point the AP partially opened the door and the police gained entry into the apartment. The AP was taken to the ground where officers struggled to subdue and handcuff him. The AP became combative and a Conducted Energy Weapon (CEW) was deployed but appeared to have minimal effect. One of the witness officers noticed blood coming from the AP before he was handcuffed. As the AP did not comply with the command that he put his hands behind his back, two members of the ERT had to force his hands behind his back. It was at this point, as the AP’s head was held to the floor, that blood was observed gushing from a laceration on the AP’s head. When the AP was picked up from the floor, a box cutter blade was seen on the floor where AP had been. Once secured into custody, the individual was found to have a significant laceration to his head.
While no definitive conclusion can be made with respect to the specific cause of the AP’s injury, his allegation that he was subjected to a deliberate act by a police officer who sliced his head with a blade is not supported by the evidence. Therefore, none of the officers involved will face any criminal charges.
A complete copy of the report is available at http://sirt.novascotia.ca.
SIRT is responsible for investigating all serious incidents involving police in Nova Scotia. Investigations are under the direction and control of independent civilian director Felix Cacchione, who is solely responsible for decisions respecting the laying of any charge.
Media Contact:
Felix Cacchione
Director
902-718-9707
