Halifax police cleared of wrongdoing in woman's suicide

Halifax Regional Police have been cleared of any wrongdoing in the death of a 39-year-old university student from China.

The woman died on Dec. 29, 2014, after she stabbed herself several times in the throat. Nova Scotia's Serious Incident Response Team were called in to investigate the circumstances because police were involved and had tried to stop the woman.

The agency says police had gone to an apartment on Tower Road in Halifax aftera 911 call about someone who may be suicidal.

Three officers entered and foundthe woman stabbing herself repeatedly. They used stun guns and batons in an attempt to stop her from killing herself. The woman wasrushed to hospital, but died.

In a report released today, SIRTfound officers were justified in entering the apartment,did nothing wrong and the response was appropriate.

"While this included the application of force from the [conducted energy weapons]and a police baton, in the circumstances dramatic steps were necessary and appropriate," SIRTdirector RonMacDonald wrote in the report.

"In this case the police actions were not only justified, but commendable."