Boden Umpherville. (Submitted Photo/FSIN)

By Jaryn Vecchio

‘It’s devastating’: Man who died after confrontation with P.A. police being remembered by family & friends

Apr 26, 2023 | 5:00 PM

A 40-year-old man who died from injuries he got during an altercation with Prince Albert police is being remembered as someone who truly cared for his family.

Boden Umpherville passed away on Wednesday after officially being taken off life support. His family said the confrontation left him brain-dead with no hope of recovery.

“It’s devastating,” said Chase Sinclair, Umpherville’s best friend.

Sinclair and Umpherville had known each other for over 25 years and had become very close. Sinclair said he’s known as the adoptive brother since he always spent time with the family.

He told paNOW Umpherville was the kind of person everyone wishes they were.

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“He lived for his family, he carried himself with great respect and compassion for everybody he encountered… there was nobody beneath him.”

According to court documents, a warrant had been issued for Umpherville. The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN), who’s been supporting his family during this time, told reporters last week that he had been out of jail for the past three years.

Boden Umpherville in a Saskatoon Hospital. (Submitted Photo/FSIN)

Sinclair explained Umpherville had really changed his life since then. This includes speaking with multiple youths about his past and the way he was working to better himself. For him, it’s frustrating that people tend to focus more on his past and less on the person he had become.

“He carried a lot of collective values, beliefs, and morals and stood up for them, that’s the main thing,” Sinclair added.

Just like Umpherville’s family, Sinclair wants to see a proper investigation into the altercation with police. This includes determining whether officers failed to uphold their code of ethics and if Umpherville’s rights were violated.

“I want to see integrity and honour in this investigation,” said Sinclair.

No official dates have been set for Umpherville’s funeral at this time.

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Jaryn.Vecchio@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @princealbertnow