By Canadian Press

Tense cross-examination of former cop at inquest into 2016 death of Ottawa man

Nov 21, 2024 | 12:43 PM

OTTAWA — A former police officer involved in the case of an Ottawa man who died after a violent arrest and the lawyer representing the man’s family had several testy exchanges today at a coroner’s inquest into the death.

Former Const. David Weir is among those testifying at the inquest examining the circumstances of 38-year-old Abdirahman Abdi’s July 2016 death.

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.

Lawrence Greenspon, the lawyer for Abdi’s family, and Weir clashed over descriptions of that day’s events during Greenspon’s cross-examination, with the presiding coroner warning Weir to refrain from arguing.

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At one point, Weir accused the lawyer of trivializing what he experienced, with Greenspon denying that claim.

Weir also disputed Greenspon’s assertion that he didn’t try to de-escalate the situation during Abdi’s arrest.

Weir said his commands to Abdi were “not an effort to de-escalate, not an effort to escalate … they were a clear, concise order.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 21, 2024.

The Canadian Press