REGINA -- The family of a man arrested on Dec. 13, is calling for an independent third party review into the case. They feel police used excessive force when arresting 34-year-old Rocky Lonechild.

"He has three broken ribs, and he had surgery for a collapsed lung and you know he still has addressing for that so it makes it very difficult,” Saskatchewan Coalition Against Racism advocate Bob Hughes said.

The family has identified Lonechild as the man Regina police were attempting to apprehend in a surveillance video posted online. The suspect is seen running from police, and three officers bring him to the ground. A few seconds later another officer approaches and appears to deliver three blows with his knee.

The suspect is not visible in the video and it’s not known if the suspect was resisting arrest.

"When he got up and he was kneeling there he said, ‘you got me.’ He said that when the officer came and dropped on him. His hands were already behind him,” family advocate Carmel Child said.

Regina Police Chief Evan Bray says knee strikes are part of defense and control training taught to Saskatchewan police officers. Whether that was an appropriate use of force will be determined though the investigation.

"Whether officers used the appropriate level of force is what's being brought into question and so to me that's what is being investigated, that’s why we've launched an investigation,” Bray said.

“You can explain it as one of their methods to do, but in this case it's very clear it should never have happened,” Hughes said.

Bray alleges Lonechild high on meth and was a suspect in an armed home invasion.

Officers did not know if he was armed.

Hughes says Lonechild was running from police because he was facing other charges that he knew if he was caught he wouldn’t be able to spend Christmas with his kids. Adding he was planning to turn himself in after the holiday.

Lonechild faces numerous charges including break and enter, obstruction of justice and a breach of probation.

The public complaints commission is investigating the incident.

Lonechild will be back in court on December 27, 2019.