Manitoba's police watchdog investigating after man suffers collapsed lung following arrest
X-rays showed man had collapsed lung, multiple fractured ribs after July 9 arrest in Portage la Prairie: IIU
Manitoba's police watchdog is investigating after a man says he was seriously injured during an arrest in Portage la Prairie last week.
The man suffered a collapsed lung and several fractured ribs after his July 9 arrest, the Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba said in a Thursday news release. RCMP reported the incident to the IIU the same day, according to the release.
Police said the man was accused of contravening a release order and was placed under arrest early on the morning of July 9.
RCMP say he resisted arrest and refused to get into a police car, according to the police watchdog. He was eventually placed in the cruiser and taken to the local RCMP detachment, the investigative unit's release said.
After complaining that he was having trouble breathing, the man was taken to Portage la Prairie General Hospital and examined, police told the IIU.
An X-ray the following day showed he had a collapsed lung and multiple fractured ribs. The police watchdog — which is mandated to investigate all serious incidents involving officers in Manitoba — defines those injuries as serious.
The investigation is ongoing and the investigative unit is not currently releasing any further information, Thursday's release said.