Whitehorse man dies in RCMP custody

Whitehorse RCMP and the Yukon's coroner are investigating the death of a man while he was in RCMP custodylate Tuesday.

Police say Raymond Silverfox, 43, was taken into custody around 5 a.m. Tuesday morning, following a disturbance at the local Salvation Army office.

Silverfox spent the day in the RCMP detachment's cells, but became medically distressed around 6:30 p.m., according to a police release. He died a couple of hours later at Whitehorse General Hospital.

Yukon chief coroner Sharon Hanley told CBC News that Silverfox's body will be sent away Thursday for an autopsy.

"I'm certainly going to be delving into his medical history and, you know, find out where he lived and where he was born," Hanley said Wednesday.

"Because this was an in-custody death, you know, the general information on it will come out at inquest."

A coroner's inquest must be held when someone dies in police custody.

Police said Silverfox was known to them, but they could not say what he was doing at the Salvation Army so early Tuesday morning.