Montreal Rapper Yk Lyrical Dies In Bordeaux Jail, Inquiry Demanded

On Dec. 23, Nicous D’Andre Spring was supposed to be released from a Montreal jail. Instead, the Montreal rapper, who went by Yk Lyrical, remained detained and died the next day, shortly after police placed a spit hood on him and pepper-sprayed him, according to the Canadian Press.

In the wake of Spring’s death, many are calling for a public inquiry into the situation.

Mathieu Lavoie, the president of the Syndicat des agents de la paix en services correctionnels au Québec explained that the switch to video-based court appearances has sometimes caused the delayed release of inmates despite the judge’s orders to do so. 

Release orders are sent by fax or email and Lavoie added that their systems do not communicate with each other, opening the door for mistakes like these to occur.

Though the details aren’t entirely clear yet, Lavoie explained that Spring had gotten been in conflict with other people at the jail and was then transferred to a different part of the same jail where he then got into an altercation with the guards.

In response, the guards placed a spit hood on Spring since the way he spoke led to “a lot of saliva” flying in the guards’ direction. Though Lavoie couldn’t confirm the next part, he believes the guards pepper-sprayed Spring while the spit hood was still on his head.

The guards then transported Spring to a decontamination shower where they pepper-sprayed him again and then placed him in an isolation cell. Spring then died in the cell after the guards called medical services to help resuscitate him.

Spring’s death has led to major public outcry hoping that an investigation will look into why Spring was detained following his release and why the guards left Spring unattended after they pepper-sprayed him while wearing a spit hood.

Stephen Hennessy, the teen program coordinator at the Westhaven Elmhurst Community Recreation Association, explained to CBC Montreal in a separate article that Spring was a “gentle giant” with a creative sense of style. Late last year, Yk Lyrical released “Always Packing,” shot at Vendome station.

“To hear that he wasn’t fully able to blossom and reach his potential, it’s sad,” Hennessy said.