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 will hear testimony from the arresting officers on Wednesday as further details emerge through documents filed about the moments leading up to the violent arrest.

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 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."

He said Abdi went to shake his hand and said, "f---k you"

Rowe was asked by Tina Hill, one of the lawyers representing Abdi's family if it was possible Abdi said "thank you" instead of "f--k you."

"No," Rowe replied.

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

"Everything about Mr. Abdi was slowed down. You'd think a person doing something of this nature would be so high strung, would be so wired… it's like nothing phased him," Rowe told the inquest.

Details about pursuit and arrest

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The agreed statement of facts filed as an inquest exhibit provides more details about what happened after Abdi left the Bridgehead and his violent arrest that was captured on video that resulted in criminal charges against one of the officers who was acquitted.

The document states that Abdi complied with Const. David 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 chasing him 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.

Abdi suffered a heart attack after a violent arrest outside the apartment building where he lived on Hilda Street. He died the next day in hospital.

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

The document states a resident 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." She repeated this three times

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

Const. Daniel Montsion was the second officer on scene wearing gloves with hard plastic knuckle coverings, as seen in this photo.

"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. One resident stated she heard Abdi "crying, yelling and screaming during the altercation.”

One of Abdi’s brothers on a balcony "yelled down to the officers that his brother was mentally ill but the officers did not acknowledge him."

Abdi lost consciousness before paramedics arrived. Paramedics instructed Montsion to start CPR about six minutes after Montsion had requested they raise the priority of the call, according to the agreed statement of facts.

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

Ottawa Police Constable Daniel Montsion as he appeared via Zoom video conferencing during closing arguments of his trial. (Lauren Foster-McLeod)

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.

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

More to come.