24000

Man dies during transport to the Edmonton Remand Centre

10/26/2015

At 11:52 a.m. on Oct 26, 2015, an EPS transport van with 6 people on board left the EPS Detention Management Unit (DMU) en route to the Edmonton Remand Centre. The 46 year old, Kenneth Shymkiw, was "yelling and kicking while being placed into the Police Service transport van" (Alberta Serious Incident Response Team, 2015). During the car ride, the officers noted that Shymkiw had quieted down and stopped the vehicle to find him unresponsive and in medical distress. CPR was performed and Shymkiw was transported by EMS to the hospital where he was declared to be deceased. Post autopsy, it was determined that the cause of death was a "hyperadrenergic state (high adrenaline) due to an acute schizophrenic psychosis" (Report to the Minister of Justice and Solicitor General Public Fatality Inquiry, 2020).

Non-eyewitness, based on documentation

Edmonton Remand Centre

Goodridge Corners

acute schizophrenic psychosis; sudden cardiac arrest
Post autopsy determined that the cause of death was a "hyperadrenergic state (high adrenaline) due to an acute schizophrenic psychosis"

Withholding/Refusal to administer aid

Cis Man

White

Edmonton Police Service

ASIRT Oct 26, 2015 report "ASIRT investivates EPS in-custody death":
https://open.alberta.ca/dataset/b3765dd8-58b5-4db5-91b0-ac5da50e2e13/resource/8c85dba6-080d-4878-9164-1515a4675586/download/asirt-asirt-investigates-eps-in-custody-death.pdf ;
Edmonton Public Fatality Inquiry Report, Oct 9, 2019:
https://open.alberta.ca/dataset/bdc7a51d-b74e-4875-8f00-e500aae07fd1/resource/d07075f0-bc1a-4811-adca-722729f62633/download/jsg-191023-fatality-inquiry-schedules.pdf ;
Report to the Minister of Justice and Solicitor General Public Fatality Inquiry, Oct 27, 2020:
https://open.alberta.ca/publications/fatality-inquiry-2020-10-27

Following this tragic event, certain recommendations were made that hope to avoid any such future events. A 24 hour counsel is now present at the DMU that would avoid the need for the unnecessary transport of some individuals. EMTs are now embedded at the DMU in order to properly assess any medical conditions that may become worse during holding/transport. The use of the Police and Crisis Response Team (PACT) was advised in this incident.

External database import

From published source

Unlimited use

2015-10-26