Calgary (Rajeev Sharma): The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) is examining the circumstances surrounding the death of a 47-year-old man following an interaction with RCMP officers at a hotel in Whitecourt.
The incident occurred late on September 17, when Whitecourt RCMP were called to a local hotel shortly after 11:30 p.m. Police had been responding to a report concerning a man who was believed to be intoxicated.
Officers arriving at the property found the man unconscious in a hallway. They learned that he was a long-term resident of the hotel and, with assistance from hotel staff, gained access to his room.
According to ASIRT, officers moved the man into his suite before leaving him there and departing the hotel.
Less than an hour later, the man’s wife returned to the property and found him experiencing a medical emergency. She immediately called 911.
Paramedics and firefighters responded and attempted to revive the man, but their efforts were unsuccessful. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
ASIRT is now reviewing the circumstances surrounding the police interaction and the events that followed. The agency cautioned that its investigation is still at an early stage and that the information released so far represents only what investigators currently know and can disclose without affecting the inquiry.
ASIRT operates under Alberta’s Police Review Commission as a civilian-led investigative body. It examines potential criminal offences involving police officers across the province, including cases in which police actions may have contributed to a serious injury or death.
The investigation remains ongoing, and ASIRT has not indicated whether any criminal wrongdoing occurred.
