A newly released report from the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) has officially cleared RCMP officers of criminal wrongdoing following a chaotic 2021 arrest in Lloydminster. The incident, which officers described as a desperate “brawl” for their own safety, resulted in the death of a suspect after a violent struggle.
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The encounter began in May 2021 when police were called to a home to remove a man armed with a machete. While the man was initially cooperative, the situation shifted instantly as officers attempted to handcuff him.
According to the report, the suspect—fueled by what investigators believe was a “methamphetamine-induced state”—began overpowering the officers with ease. One officer described being “rag dolled,” while others were slammed into walls and floors.
The “Brawl” and Use of Force
The watchdog emphasized that the officers’ response was a matter of survival. The report detailed several critical moments during the fight:
- The Struggle for Control: Officers used strikes and a carotid control hold (sleeper hold) in an attempt to subdue the man, who was actively punching them and reaching for their duty belts.
- Failed Deterrents: Pepper spray proved useless after the man managed to break the canister during the scuffle.
- Audio Evidence: While the fight happened out of view of the police cruiser cameras, audio recordings captured the sounds of the struggle, validating the officers’ accounts of the violence.
The Medical Conclusion
Ultimately, the medical examiner determined that the physical struggle was not the sole cause of death. Instead, the combination of methamphetamine toxicity and the intense physical exertion caused the man’s heart to fail.
