Family mourns Blood Tribe man who died in Calgary police custody

By Al Beeber - Lethbridge Herald on September 28, 2024.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDabeeber@lethbridgeherald.com

The family of a Blood Tribe man who died in the custody of Calgary police is mourning their loved one.

In a release sent to media Friday, the family of Jon Wells says the “tragic and untimely death has left a void in the hearts of all who knew him.”

The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team on Sept. 17 was directed to investigate the circumstances of the death of a man that happened when he was being placed in custody of the Calgary Police Service.

ASIRT’s investigation will examine on the use of force by police.

Blood Tribe Chief Roy Fox said in a statement on behalf of council Friday they will be filing a complaint against the three officers involved in Wells’ death and will be demanding a thorough and transparent investigation.

ASIRT said this week that on Sept. 17 about 12:56 a.m. CPS responded to a call on a non-emergency line from a hotel in south Calgary asking for assistance in removing an unwanted man from the lobby.

ASIRT says a lone officer entered the lobby and found a man standing near the check-in desk.

In an interaction recorded on a body camera, ASIRT says “the male is standing with his hands in full view and does not possess any weapons. The officer orders the male to leave the lobby by issuing commands such as ‘out’ and ‘walk out.’ The male continues to stand at his location in the lobby and act in a confused fashion, such as attempting to pick up items off the floor that were clearly non-existent.”

After about 30 seconds of talking with the man, the officer pointed his conducted energy weapon at him and ordered him to leave the lobby. ASIRT says the man raised his hands, confirmed that he’ll leave and asked the officer not to shoot him. He began to leave the lobby with the officer still pointing the CEW at him. With his hands raised while slowly walking toward the main door, the man told the officer “I don’t want to die.” The officer told him to quit talking and continued to point his weapon.

Two other officers arrived on scene and began walking through the doors towards the man, says ASIRT. At this point the man stopped walking and continued to say he doesn’t want to die.

“Officer 1 then holsters his CEW and attempts to grab the male. At no point during the interaction had the male been identified, nor was he ever told he was being detained or under arrest. The male physically resists being grabbed and then is tackled by officer 2, who then punches the male in the head while both are on the ground,” says a statement from ASIRT.

“During this time, officers 1 and 3 deploy their CEWs. Over the next approximately 3 1/2 minutes, the three officers and the male are involved in a physical altercation with various uses of force resorted to by the officers. Once the male is detained on the floor, handcuffs and leg restraints are applied,” says ASIRT.

Numerous other officers arrive on scene and the man is seen to be bleeding from his mouth and vomits. A spit mask is applied while he’s lying face down on the floor where EMS administer a sedative via needle about seven minutes after he’s been handcuffed.

The man is left face down in handcuffs, leg restraints and the spit mask for about another three minutes until it’s noticed that he’s unresponsive, says ASIRT.

He was provided medical care but was declared dead on the scene.

Wells family called him ” loving father, son, grandson, brother, uncle, nephew and friend to many. His dedication to his family and community was unwavering, and his impact on the youth he mentored was profound. Jon’s passion for horses and rodeo led him to become a well-known cowboy, travelling across Canada and the United States to compete in various events.”

Wells got his post-secondary education at what is now known as Lethbridge Polytechnic, graduating from the Criminal Justice diploma program.

In 2012, the family says he became the steer wrestling tour champion with his hard work and talent earning him a spot as a contestant in the Indian National Finals Rodeo.

“Jon’s skills in horsemanship were unmatched, and he used his abilities to inspire and instruct the youth, including those at the Kainai Transition Center who were facing trauma and addictions,” says the family.

Wells was involved in the Blackfoot holistic approach to healing which his family says further showcased his commitment to his community’s well being. Wells was also a former president of the Blood Tribe Ag Society and a member of the Canadian Pro Rodeo Association.

“Jon’s leadership and influence were felt far and wide. His legacy as a mentor, friend, and cowboy will forever be cherished by all who had the privilege of knowing him. Jon will be dearly missed, but his spirit will live on in the hearts of those he touched,” the family statement added.

Blood Tribe chief and council on Friday asked the community to give Wells’ family “the utmost respect, compassion and support during this difficult time.”

The statement from Fox read “this painful event brings back memories of challenges our community has faced in the past. In the 1980s, we came together to raise our voices through the public inquiry Policing In Relation to the Blood Tribe where we spoke out against the growing number of unexplained deaths and unsolved tragedies that impacted our People as well as the lack of action by law enforcement authorities. That inquiry underscored the cultural gap between our people ad the police, highlighting the urgent need for understanding and respect.

“Today, it is disheartening to find ourselves addressing these issues once again. However, our community has always risen above adversity with strength and resilience. Now more than ever, we must stand united in our commitment to seek justice for Mr. Wells and ensure that such tragedies do not continue.

“Chief and Council assure you that we are determined to pursue every path towards the administration of accountability in respect of this incident,” said the statement.