Man’s family calls video-recorded arrest ‘excessive’

The family of a man whose arrest was captured on a home security video says Regina police officers went too far, causing Rocky Lone Child serious injuries such as broken ribs and a punctured lung.

The arrest was recorded in the early hours of Dec. 13.

Originally posted to Facebook, the video shows three officers chasing Lone Child down and taking him to the ground on a sidewalk in an area with houses and a park and a playground on one side of the street.

A fourth officer then approaches to join the melee, and appears to inflict knee-strikes on the man.

“I am still in shock when I see the video,” Bob Hughes — who read a statement on behalf of Lone Child’s father, Lawrence Big Eagle — said Thursday outside Regina Provincial Court.

“We thought we were watching the cops kill our son. We had no idea where Rocky was, and then we were shown the (video),” Big Eagle said in his statement.

Lone Child’s father says everything about the arrest process was fine, until the fourth police officer arrived.

“(Lone Child) was already on the ground with three Regina police officers when another arrives and kneed my son,” Big Eagle said. “Let the truth come out in the investigation.

“It was wrong for the police officer to knee my son four times. My son was co-operating with the arrest process.”

He and the man’s mother, Deanna Lone Child, are calling for a fully independent investigation into the arrest.

The video and the arrest were filed as a formal complaint with the police service. On Wednesday, Police Chief Evan Bray confirmed the complaint has been forwarded to the provincial Public Complaints Commission (PCC).

Bray said the PCC will inform the police service if the investigation is fully independent or not.

Carmel Crowchild spoke on behalf of Deanna Lone Child, reading her statement.

“My son did not deserve this. He was already arrested. I want to ask that a third-party investigation be done on my son’s arrest and use of excessive force,” Lone Child said in her statement.

Rocky Lone Child appeared via video link in court on Thursday morning to face three charges laid by police from the Dec. 13 incident. Those charges include meth possession, resisting arrest and being at large on a recognizance order from a prior incident.

He was appearing as lawyers discussed with a judge whether or not Lone Child should be released on bail, based on a failure to appear charge from April 29. The matter was adjourned to Friday morning.