Witness describes 'tense' atmosphere before deadly arrest on second day of Abdi inquest

A bike rack on Wellington Street where a physical confrontation took place between Abdirahman Abdi and others. (Inquest Exhibit)

A coroner's inquest into the 2016 death of Abdirahman Abdi continued Tuesday with an off-duty paramedic testifying about the "tense" atmosphere inside and outside the Hintonburg coffee shop where Ottawa police were initially called for reports about a man sexually assaulting women.

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Matthew Rousselle, an advanced care paramedic in Renfrew County, said he stopped at the Bridgehead on Wellington Street for coffee on June 24, 2016, saying it soon became obvious something had happened.

"I could hear some people crying," he said. "I could hear someone saying, 'you're okay, you're okay.'"

Rouselle said he heard someone yell "he's grabbed another woman," referring to Abdi and saw men outside getting into a physical altercation with Abdi, pushing him into the nearby bike rack.

He said he was worried about a "mob mentality" and said it wasn't a safe situation for anyone.

Rouselle said he broke up the altercation and pulled a man off Abdi. He said Abdi was sweating profusely and breathing heavily.

The inquest's first witness heard from Darren Courtney, a psychiatrist from Toronto who was visiting Ottawa when he saw Abdi and others outside the coffee shop near a woman who was parking her bike.

"He was thrusting his hips towards her and making bodily contact toward her," Courtney testified on Monday. "She was saying 'no' and saying 'you can't touch her there' referring to the child she was with."

The inquest is examining the circumstances around Abdi's death. Abdi, 38, died in hospital on July 25, 2016, one day after his arrest by officers from Ottawa police.

In a statement read on behalf of his family on Monday, lawyer Lawrence Greenspon spoke about Abdi's struggles with mental health before his "tragic and unnecessary death."

Const. Daniel Montsion, one of the two officers who arrested Abdi, was found not guilty of manslaughter, aggravated assault, and assault with a weapon in June 2020 following a 72-day trial.

The 21-day inquest will continue Wednesday where jurors are expected to start hearing testimony from Montsion and Const. David Weir.