Queensland police used the “minimum force necessary” when they restrained an Indigenous man during a violent, drug-induced episode, an inquest has heard.
Shaun Coolwell, 33, died on 2 October 2015, soon after being given a sedative and restrained with handcuffs.
The Brisbane coroners court heard on Monday that paramedics and police were called to his sister Shontay Coolwell’s home in Kingston, south of Brisbane, after Coolwell began yelling and trying to hit his head on a bathroom doorframe.
First responder Constable Tamzin Zarycki said Shaun Coolwell was “uncontrollable”, bleeding and unable to converse with them.
“He was unclothed at the time, he was face down on the floor,” she said.
Zarycki said Coolwell continued to “thrash around” and they made the decision to handcuff him.
“We were still fearful that he may injure himself further,” she said.
She and her partner restrained Coolwell and paramedics injected him with a sedative. The court heard he developed breathing problems and became unconscious.
Attempts to revive him were unsuccessful and he died in hospital a few hours later.
The actions of the police officers were investigated by Queensland police service ethical standards command, which cleared them of any wrongdoing.
“I found their actions to be lawful,” Detective Senior Sergeant Lisa Scully told the court. “I found that they used the minimum force required, they didn’t use capsicum spray, they didn’t use a Taser ... they chose to restrain Mr Coolwell for his own safety and benefit.”
Two autopsies found there were multiple possible contributors to Coolwell’s death, including amphetamine use, a poor heart condition, the sedative and restraint and his delirium at the time.
The inquest continues.
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