Abdi inquest to hear from arresting Ottawa police officers

The coroner’s inquest looking at the circumstances surrounding the death of Abdirahman Abdi following an altercation with Ottawa police is expected to hear testimony from the arresting officers Wednesday.

So far, the inquest has heard that police initially responded to a Hintonburg coffee shop on July 24, 2016, because of reports of a man sexually assaulting women.

The first witness on Wednesday spoke about trying to pull Abdi off of a woman inside the Bridgehead coffee shop.

“I grabbed him by the bicep and pulled hard,” said Michael Rowe. “His arm was really big, and it didn’t move.”

Rowe said it seemed like Abdi had a “cognitive challenge” and was not communicative.

The inquest is scheduled to last 21 days and hear from 27 witnesses.

Testimony from the officers involved in Abdi’s arrest is expected to start on Wednesday.

Const. David Weir was the first officer on scene at the coffee shop and will testify first.

According to the agreed statement of facts filed as an inquest exhibit, Abdi complied with Weir’s instructions to put his hands against the wall of the building beside the Bridgehead and then behind his back but started to run away when Weir took out handcuffs.

Weir attempted to trip Abdi but did not get him on the ground.

The agreed statement of facts states that as Abdi ran, he tried to pull garbage cans and other objects in the path of Weir who was in pursuit on foot.

Abdi tried to lift a metal road sign but couldn’t because it was bolted to the ground. He then tried to lift a wooden construction sign but was unsuccessful.

At that point Weir pepper sprayed Abdi twice in the eyes, the document states. Abdi then picked up the 30-pound rubber base of the construction sign and lifted it above his head. Weir instructed Abdi to stop and put the base down.

Weir told Abdi to “get down” twice and then struck Abdi twice with his baton but Abdi continued walking to the west side entrance of his apartment on Hilda Street.

The document states someone coming out of the apartment heard Abdi say “help me” to her.

She told Const. Weir, “Please don’t hit him [Abdi], he’s mental man. He’s sick person. He’s not – he’s crazy man, he’s not well.”

Const. Daniel Montsion was the second officer on scene wearing gloves with hard plastic knuckle coverings. He struck Abdi several times in the head.

“Several people shouted at the officers to stop what they were doing and that Mr. Abdi was mentally ill,” the agreed statement of facts stated.

Const. Weir was never criminally charged and Const. Montsion was found not guilty of manslaughter, aggravated assault and assault with a weapon in June 2020.

Montsion did not testify at his trial, and this will be the first time the public has heard directly from him about his account of what happened.

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Posted in CTV