An inquest into the death of a 38-year-old man who died in Saskatoon police custody last February is expected to take place later this year, the coroner’s office says.
Michael Ryan was found unresponsive in a cell in the police detention unit around 3 p.m. Feb. 26, 2016, and pronounced dead in hospital a short while later. The inquest into his death will be scheduled once all necessary information, including investigative reports, is received, according to a spokesperson for Saskatchewan’s Office of the Chief Coroner.
Ryan, the father of a teenage boy, had been taken into police custody about three hours before he was found unresponsive. He was arrested after officers received several calls about a man running into oncoming traffic.
His family spoke out after the death, stating Ryan battled addictions. They also questioned why no paramedic was in the unit when Michael died, and on Monday, Ryan’s brother reiterated those questions.
His brother, Cheney Ryan, said he wants to know why Michael was arrested instead of given medical help.
“We were dealing with a lot of mental health issues before his death,” Cheney said. “We’re just kind of left in shock that he’s gone, and not having any answers doesn’t make it any easier on closure.”
About a month after Michael’s death, the city’s police board approved a recommendation for paramedics to be staffed in detention cells 24 hours a day.
