Alberta chief demands action after death of Indigenous man in police custody [Video]

EDMONTON –

The chief of a southern Alberta First Nation is demanding a thorough, transparent investigation into the death of an Indigenous man in police custody.

Blood Tribe Chief Roy Fox says the death of Jon Wells on Sept. 17 after a scuffle with police at a Calgary hotel has brought back memories of a public inquiry in the 1980s that “underscored the cultural gap” between his community and police.

The inquiry saw the Blood Tribe speak out against a growing number of unexplained deaths affecting Indigenous people.

“It is disheartening that we again find ourselves in a similar situation and we are addressing these issues once again,” Fox said in a recent online video statement.

“We will be filing a formal complaint against the three officers involved in Mr. Wells’s death and will demand a thorough and transparent investigation.”

The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team, or ASIRT, is investigating the death. …