Abdi inquest hears testimony from arresting officer

The coroner's inquest looking at the circumstances surrounding the death of Abdirahman Abdi following an altercation with Ottawa police heard testimony from one of the arresting officers on Wednesday as further details emerge through documents filed about the moments leading up to the violent arrest.

Const. David Weir is one of the officers who arrested Abdi, who revealed during his testimony Wednesday that he's no longer a police officer.

"It still affects me to this day," Weir said of what happened. "It's the reason why I'm not working."

He says he arrived at a Bridgehead coffee shop on Wellington Street on July 24, 2016 to a situation that was far bigger than a "disturbance," as described in dispatcher notes and as one that escalated quickly.

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.

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

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.

Weir said he was worried Abdi "might actually succeed in getting it out because he was so jacked up."

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.

"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."

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.

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.

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.