Conflict Over “Imitation Firearm” Following Fatal Saskatoon Hospital Altercation

A fatal encounter at Saskatoon’s Royal University Hospital (RUH) has sparked a bitter dispute between the Saskatoon Police Service (SPS) and the family of Trevor Dubois, a 36-year-old First Nations man who died Friday during a struggle with hospital security.

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Two Sides of the Story

The central point of contention involves the object that triggered the security response.

Feature	Police Version	Family Version
The Object	An imitation firearm found in the room.	A pink and yellow cigarette holder and lighter.
The Justification	Security entered based on reports of a weapon.	Security used excessive force on a frail patient.
Circumstances	Drugs and paraphernalia were allegedly recovered.	Dubois was a brain cancer patient receiving chemotherapy.

The Family’s Response

Val Dubois, Trevor’s mother, spoke out during a press conference alongside the Saskatoon Tribal Council. The family is demanding answers, raising several key concerns:

• Physical Fragility: They argue that a man undergoing intensive cancer treatment would not have been physically capable of posing a threat that required lethal or near-lethal force.
• Misidentification: The family claims the “imitation firearm” narrative is a fabrication or a gross misidentification of a colorful smoking accessory.
• Communication Breakdown: Relatives say they were kept in the dark by authorities, learning about the police allegations through the media rather than official channels.

Systemic Outcry

The incident has ignited a political and social firestorm in Saskatchewan. Tribal Chief Mark Arcand has called for immediate transparency, suggesting that systemic racism may have influenced the decision to escalate to a physical confrontation.

Meanwhile, the Saskatchewan NDP is using the tragedy to highlight what they call “chaos” in the provincial healthcare system, questioning whether security staff are being properly trained in mental health de-escalation versus physical restraint.

Investigations Underway

The case is now being handled through two separate channels:

1. SPS Major Crime Section: Conducting a criminal investigation into the death.
2. Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA): Conducting a “critical incident” review to determine if security protocols were followed.