Woman taken to hospital in critical condition after being restrained by police, sedated: IIU

Manitoba's police watchdog agency says it is investigating after officers in Winnipeg helped paramedics sedatean "erratic" woman, who was then taken to hospital in critical condition.

The Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba says it was notified by the Winnipeg Police Service on Monday about the medical incident, which happened earlier that day.

Officers received an emergency call from the city's fire-paramedic serviceshortly before 10 a.m. Monday, according to a news release from the Winnipeg Police Service.

Paramedics in the 500 block of Arlington Street, between St. Matthews and Sargent avenues, were struggling to treat a woman who was "in medical distress [and] exhibiting erratic and combative behaviour," the police service said.

There was another person at the scene armed with broken glass, promptingparamedicsto call for help, according to police.

The woman "continued to be combative and spit at emergency responders," and the officersphysically restrained her in an effort to help paramedics sedate her, police say.

TheIndependent Investigation Unit says it was told by police that paramedics gave the womanachemical sedative, after which she experienced a "further medical event" and was taken to Health Sciences Centre in critical condition.

The police service said she remained in hospital on Tuesday. Neither police nor the IIU provided further detail on what the medical eventwas.

The civilian director of the Independent Investigation Unit, which investigates serious incidents involving police in the province, has determined an investigation into the incident is in the public's interest, the IIU's release said.

The investigative agency is asking anyone with information or footage of the Monday morning incident to contact the IIU at 1-844-667-6060.