Coroner’s inquest begins into 2016 death of Ottawa man Abdirahman Abdi

By Alessia Passafiume, The Canadian Press on November 18, 2024.

A coroner's inquest began Monday into the death of Abdirahman Abdi, who died in 2016 after being arrested by Ottawa police. Community members pray in memory of Abdi as the rally blocks the intersection in front of Parliament Hill in Ottawa, on Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

OTTAWA – A coroner’s inquest began this morning into the July 2016 death of Abdirahman Abdi, who died after he was arrested by Ottawa police.

The inquest into the 38-year-old’s death is mandated by law to determine how and why he died, and is set to last four weeks.

The jury is not tasked with determining legal responsibility but it can make recommendations to avoid similar deaths in the future.

Abdi died after police officers responded to a 911 call that said a man was groping women outside a coffee shop in Ottawa’s Hintonburg neighbourhood.

He ran from the scene, and officers took him to the ground and hit him when they caught up with him outside his apartment.

He later died in hospital and the officers involved were not found guilty in his death.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 18, 2024.