ASIRT clears Edmonton officer in arrest that left man with brain bleed

An Edmonton police officer has been cleared of wrongdoing after a man sustained a brain bleed during an arrest for public intoxication in October 2025.

The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team released its decision Wednesday, concluding the officer acted lawfully. The man approached a police vehicle occupied by two officers and another person in custody. He appeared intoxicated and refused to leave when asked. After being told he was under arrest for public intoxication, he resisted while being handcuffed, leading the officer to perform a takedown in which the man's head struck the ground and he lost consciousness.

EMS transported the man to the University of Alberta hospital, where he was treated for a brain bleed, facial cuts and scrapes. Medical records showed he was discharged five days later after declining a recommended procedure and making repeated efforts to leave against medical staff advice. He had also sustained a severe traumatic brain injury from a vehicle collision the previous year.

ASIRT's investigation relied on interviews with the man, his sister, a police witness, and video footage from a nearby business that captured the entire incident. The report found police acted lawfully in their duties to preserve peace and that the man's account — which included allegations of assault and use of a weapon — was inconsistent with the video evidence. ASIRT determined the man sustained injuries due to the force of his own weight, not force applied by the officer.