He called RCMP for help. Hours later he died in a detachment holding cell
CBC
The father of an Alberta man who died in police custody after calling 911 for help during a suspected break-in says RCMP negligence contributed to his son's death.
Addison Hartzler, 30, died in a holding cell at the Grande Prairie RCMP detachment on June 3, hours after being arrested at his home in the city 460 kilometres northwest of Edmonton.
Gregory Hartzler says his son's death points to systemic failures with the way the RCMP protects Canadians and prevents in-custody deaths.
He says the arrest was unlawful and that RCMP neglected Addison's need for urgent medical attention.
"It's their fundamental responsibility to ensure that we are taken care of. And the Grande Prairie RCMP definitely did not do this," Hartzler said.
"Just every direction you look, it is total negligence."
Alberta RCMP were initially in charge of the death investigation, a decision that prompted complaints from the Hartzler family who were concerned about the prospect of internal investigation.
Two months later, on Aug. 9, RCMP were told that Alberta's director of law enforcement had reassigned the case to the the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team, the province's police watchdog.
ASIRT has not responded to CBC's requests for comment.
Hartzler says his son called RCMP after a suspected break and enter at the home where he was living. But he says that after responding officers failed to find any evidence of a break-in, they arrested Addison for public mischief.
RCMP confirm that officers were called to the home at 1:42 a.m. on June 3 and arrived five minutes later.
Hartzler's father says home security video shows his son was arrested nine minutes after police arrived.
The video shows at least three officers arriving on scene and approaching the house with long guns and flashlights. One minute later, officers re-enter the frame. Addison Hartzler is alongside the officers as they walk back to their vehicles.
Hartzler is then seen speaking with officers near the home's front driveway before sliding into the back seat of a police cruiser. He appears calm and is not handcuffed.
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