Coroner’s inquest into 2016 death of Ottawa man hears from ex-cop involved in arrest

By The Canadian Press on November 20, 2024.

Abdirahman Abdi of Ottawa is shown in a handout photo. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Family of Abdirahman Abdi, *MANDATORY CREDIT*

OTTAWA – A former police officer involved in the case of an Ottawa man who died after a violent arrest says the incident still affects him eight years later.

A coroner’s inquest into the July 2016 death of 38-year-old Abdirahman Abdi began earlier this week, with witnesses testifying today.

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

The inquest has heard that Abdi appeared to be in a mental health crisis at the time.

The inquest was shown security camera footage of Abdi’s arrest, with presiding coroner Dr. David Eden thanking the jury for watching what he called a “harrowing” video showing police officers hit and tackle Abdi to the ground.

Former Const. David Weir, who was the first responding officer, testified at the inquest that Abdi’s death was a “critical stress incident” and is the reason he is unable to work.

Weir, who was a member of the Ottawa Police Service from 2002 until earlier this year, says police were short staffed that day and he volunteered to take the call about Abdi.

Weir said the report he received through police dispatch did not match the scene he arrived at on that day in 2016.

“This guy’s behaviour is so erratic,” he said, adding that his thinking at the time was: “I’m going to end this because it’s out of control. It’s just me and this large man.”

Weir described chasing Abdi and repeatedly striking him with a baton in an attempt to get him to stop running.

“It was like I hit him with a fly swatter,” Weir said.

The jurors heard Monday that Abdi was born in Somalia and went to a refugee camp in Kenya with his family before moving to Canada in 2009.

He was married in 2015, but his mental health began to deteriorate shortly after, the inquest has heard.

The inquest, set to last four weeks, is mandated by law because Abdi was injured while in police custody.

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

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 20, 2024.