Saturday, July 23, 2016

Ottawa Cops who killed Abdirahman Abdi don't have to cooperate in investigation


Ottawa police Dave Weir, left, and Daniel Montsion
Police officers under investigation in the death of Abdirahman Abdi don't have to co-operate with investigators. Abdi died after what witnesses called a violent arrest in Ottawa's Hintonburg neighbourhood on Sunday. Ontario's Special Investigations Unit is now investigating two police officers.

The SIU investigates any case involving an Ontario police officer that results in death, sexual assault or serious injury. The unit lays charges in less than 5% of cases and less than half of those result in convictions. Witnesses saw what happened, and some of the incident was caught on video.

Abdirahman Abdi
The first officer used a baton on Abdi after pepper spraying him, while the second officer, who arrives in a cruiser, rushed in to deliver multiple blows to Abdi's head.

Abdi was left handcuffed and unconscious in a pool of his own blood. It took more than 20 minutes for medical assistance to arrive. Abdi had no vital signs when paramedics arrived.

Dave Weir and Daniel Montsion