Ottawa police officer acquitted in death of Abdirahman Abdi testifies at inquest

The Ottawa police officer acquitted in the death of Abdirahman Abdi six years ago spoke publicly for the first time at the coroner's inquest into the Ottawa man's death.

Const. Daniel Montsion told the inquiry punches were intended to distract Abdi while he and a fellow officer attempted to arrest him outside a Hintonburg apartment on July 24, 2016. Montsion was found not guilty of manslaughter, aggravated assault and assault with a weapon in 2020.

Artist sketch of Const. Daniel Montsion on Nov. 22, 2024 as he testifies at the coroner's inquest into Abdirahman Abdi's death six years ago. (Courtesy: Greg Banning)

Montsion recounted that he responded to a call for backup to assist Const. David Weir, who was the first officer to arrive at Bridgehead coffee shop in Hintonburg, where a man reportedly groped a woman. The video of the altercation was played during Montsion's testimony.

He said he was in his cruiser on his way to assist Weir, and civilians provided directions to follow Weir and Abdi, who ended up at 55 Hilda Street.

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Montsion told jurors he saw Weir and Adbi “clash together” and walked towards the scene. There, he recalls seeing Abdi in a “defensive stance” following some baton blows for Weir, with his fists clenched waist-high. Montsion said as he walked up to them Abdi lunged at Weir and attempted to grab Montsion.

It was then Montsion said both officers struck Abdi. Montsion hitting him several times in the head to try to restrain him so they could put handcuffs on him.

Still image from security camera footage of the violent arrest outside the apartment building where Abdirahman Abdi lived on Hilda Street.

“They throw him off balance and distract him. End of the day, we were able to take control of him and get him on the ground," he said.

During testimony, Montsion said he struck Abdi several times in the head in an attempt to bring him down. Once Abdi was on the ground, he said Weir was unable to put Abdi’s right arm behind his back due to force. He then hit Abdi a couple of times in the back of the leg, and again, two more times to the forehead area once he was down as “distraction blows.”

“I think (Weir) said, I'm going to break this thing, like not to say that he was going to do it intentionally, but he couldn't control the arm without breaking it, he was concerned he was going to break it," Montsion said.

The officer said deciding whether to use force during an arrest doesn't take into account a person's mental health, adding that due to the physical force Abdi applied, he had to respond in like fashion.

“Force is based on somebody's behaviour towards whether their intent is criminal or their intent is maybe they’re in some sort of mental health or psychotic episode where they don't actually have a criminal intent.” Montsion said. “I don't act on what they mean to do or what they're doing without any meaning. I act on their behaviour.”

The gloves Montsion had on during the altercation were plated with hardened plastic around the knuckles. Montsion said he never received any training when given the gloves in 2015.

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

Montsion says Abdi attempted to scratch both officers while on the ground and bit Montsion on the inside of his left knee.

“Through the whole time, I'm kind of on autopilot, just trying to communicate with him. I'm saying, 'Come on, man, let us put the handcuffs on. Don't bite me,'" Montsion said. "He was trying to bite, scratch us and kick us. So, I told him to stop that. Don't do that."

Montsion recalled a crowd of people around the scene. They were attempting to notify him of Abdi’s mental health issues, but Montsion said that due to the growing frustration, he could not hear them or engage.

He added he tried to verbally communicate with Abdi once they had him in handcuffs on the ground, but said Abdi was screaming in what “didn’t sound like English.”

“There were no words coming out that I could understand.”

Montsion believed he broke Abdi’s nose on the first punch, which resulted in substantial bleeding. He said he stayed within five feet of Abdi after he was detained until paramedics arrived, checking on his breathing.

“He was in my custody. So it was, it's my duty to care for him," he said. “I don't think I ever actually physically took his pulse, because I could tell he had a pulse because he was breathing.”

Montsion told inquest counsel Maria Stevens that he notified paramedics that he was aware Abdi periodically went in and out of consciousness and his breathing slowed before they arrived. Stevens said this was never made apparent to paramedics.

The inquest heard that Abdi was not breathing at the time paramedics arrived and CPR was immediately applied.

“One of the paramedics does an assessment. He advised me that Mr. Abdi has lost vital signs and instructs me to help them start CPR,” Montsion said.

Tina Hill, a lawyer for Abdi's family, asked Montsion if there was anything he would like to say to the family. He responded, “I’m sorry for their loss.”

The 21-day inquest is looking into the circumstances surrounding Abdi's death. The jury may make recommendations at the end of the inquiry to prevent similar deaths in the future.