Kitchener-Waterloo

SIU investigates man's death after he went into medical distress while in OPP custody in Rockwood

The province's special investigations unit says the man was arrested in Arthur Tuesday night and went into medical distress while being held at an OPP facility in Rockwood Wednesday morning.

Man, 36, was rushed to hospital in Guelph where he died

A sign of the Special Investigations Unit.
The province's Special Investigations Unit says it's investigating a man's death after he went into medical distress while being held at an OPP centre in Rockwood. (Yvon Theriault/CBC)

The death of a 36-year-old man who went into medical distress while being held at an Ontario Provincial Police facility in Rockwood is being investigated by the province's Special Investigations Unit.

The SIU says the man was arrested Tuesday night in Arthur and was first taken to be held in police cells at the North Wellington Operations Centre in Teviotdale.

Later Tuesday night, he was moved to the South Wellington Operations Centre in Rockwood.

On Wednesday morning, the man "was observed to be in medical distress," the SIU said in a news release.

First aid was given to the man, then he was rushed to the hospital in Guelph. He was pronounced dead at 11:20 a.m. Wednesday.

The SIU says three investigators and one forensic investigator have been assigned to the case.

A post-mortem is scheduled for Friday.