Iqaluit RCMP found a 54-year-old man unresponsive in a local detachment cell on Wednesday morning. He was pronounced dead a short time later. (CBC)RCMP in Iqaluit are investigating the death Wednesday of a man in their custody.
The 54-year-old man was arrested for mischief and had been in a cell at the local detachment for about seven hours when officers found him unresponsive shortly before 8 a.m.
Cpl. Jimmy Akavak told CBC News the man was taken to Qikiqtani General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead a short time later. The cause of death is not known, but an autopsy has been ordered, Akavak said.
Because the man died in the Iqaluit detachment, the RCMP called in investigators from elsewhere, he said.
"RCMP have assigned a major crime unit from outside the territory," Akavak said. "A team of investigators from Yellowknife is coming in to Iqaluit to investigate."
Police said they wouldn't release the name of the deceased man until family members were notified.
Share Tools
Latest North News Headlines
- Yukoners need to change poverty perceptions, says report
- A new report on poverty in Yukon is calling for action from the territorial government. However, poverty activists are also calling for Yukoners to adjust their attitudes. more »
- N.W.T. budget calls for $74M surplus
- The N.W.T. is forecasting its first surplus in five years in its 2012-2013 budget, Finance Minister Michael Miltenberger announced in the legislative assembly this afternoon. more »
- N.W.T. commissioner's goals for the territory
- The N.W.T.'s budget comes down this afternoon, and even though the finance minister has said it will be a frugal year, there are plenty of projects all over the territory which need money. more »
- Iqaluit man pleads guilty to drug and sex offences
- A sentencing hearing is underway today in Iqaluit for the man who once ran the so-called 'Qikiqtaaluk Compassion Society' where he sold marijuana. more »
Top News Headlines
- Reclaiming the dead on Mt. Everest
- The difficulty, danger and expense of removing the bodies of climbers who died in Mount Everest's "death zone" mean most of the dead remain on the mountain as a stark reminder to other climbers of the risks. more »
- Quebec faces mounting pressure amid student crisis
- The morning after nearly 700 people were arrested in protests in Montreal and Quebec City, Jean Charest announced he has replaced his top aide with his former right-hand man. more »
- Coffee prices get jolt in jittery economy
- A move by cash-conscious consumers away from expensive arabica coffee beans and toward cheaper robusta has turned coffee prices on their ear and caused a run on bargain beans. more »
- Hurricane warning issued for Mexico's Pacific coast
- Hurricane Bud has strengthened into a major storm and is headed toward an area of beach resorts and small mountain villages on the Pacific coast stretching south from Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. more »
- Investigation finds 3 electoral violations in N.W.T. riding
- Whitehorse man appeals drunk driving conviction
- Yukoners need to change poverty perceptions, says report
- N.W.T. budget calls for $74M surplus
- Iqaluit man pleads guilty to drug and sex offences
- N.W.T. commissioner's goals for the territory
- Winning lottery ticket sold in Whitehorse
- Memorial service held Saturday for Ice Pilots' Arnie Schreder
- Hockey the only ice sport in 2016 Arctic Winter Games
