Autopsy fails to find cause of death in Robert Knipstrom Taser incident

November 29, 2007
CBC News (Associated Press)

More tests will be needed to find out what caused the death of a 36-year-old man who was pepper-sprayed, hit with batons and stunned with a Taser by RCMP in Chilliwack.

The RCMP said Thursday that an initial autopsy failed to uncover the cause of death of Robert Knipstrom, who fought with Mounties at a rental store on Nov. 21.

Police said they needed to use the spray, their batons and the stun gun to bring Knipstom under control. He was seriously injured in the takedown and died four days later without regaining consciousness.

The RCMP investigation into the conduct of officers involved in the arrest continues, and investigators are now awaiting results of further pathology tests and the coroner's report into the cause of death.

A recent autopsy also failed to find what killed Polish immigrant Robert Dziekanski after he was jolted with an RCMP Taser at Vancouver airport on Oct. 14. Several investigations into that death are also underway.

The conduct of the officers in both incidents is also the subject of separate investigations by the Public Complaints Commissioner for the RCMP.