Family of Sask. man who died following a violent arrest still pushing for answers

Friends and family of Boden Umpherville may be closer to finding answers on the circumstances surrounding his death.

In April 2023, Umpherville was declared brain dead after having been Tased, pepper sprayed and hit with batons during an arrest by Prince Albert police.

He was taken off life support later that month.

A Saskatchewan Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT) investigation was opened following the incident and is still ongoing.

Since Umpherville’s death, family member Chase Sinclair has become an advocate for Umpherville's case.

Sinclair said he's had hundreds of Indigenous people message him with their own stories of injustice. His Facebook group dedicated to Umpherville's case has nearly two thousand members.

"We don't want our people being shot at and killed," said Sinclair.

"We want to be able to be pulled over without the hairs on their neck standing up and wondering if we're going to be shot or not, or beat for saying the wrong things."

Eventually Sinclair wrote to Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe asking for transparency regarding the investigation.

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Sinclair says that while he was appreciative of Moe's letter in response, which he received November 20, it was not a replacement for significant action.

"I think Indigenous people in general want him to be more inclusive and more abrupt when responding to situations that are life changing," said Sinclair.

The week following Moe's response, the family found out they may have access to a community liaison within the next three to four months to act as an advocate.

Boden Umpherville is shown in an undated photo provided by the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations. (FSIN)

Sinclair said the officers involved in Umpherville's death should be held accountable.

"It ain't going to change until [we] on the smaller level start stepping up and saying something about it," he said.

"That's why I put my time into it. It's like our voices matter, small people matter, but they only matter in numbers. And so perhaps we're the change. Perhaps we are the people that need to push back harder."

A statement from the Ministry of Justice said that additional details cannot be provided as SIRT's investigation is ongoing, but a report will be made public within 90 days once the investigation has concluded.