Ten years after Abdirahman Abdi's death, advocates say police reform stalling
A coroner's inquest found Abdi's death a homicide in 2025. A coalition pushing for police reform says most of the 57 recommendations remain unimplemented.
The day's top stories, food & events — every morning at 7. Unsubscribe anytime.
Abdirahman Abdi, a 38-year-old Somali-Canadian, died in hospital on July 25, 2016, one day after an encounter with Ottawa Police Service officers outside his Hintonburg apartment building. A mandatory coroner's inquest, which began in November 2024, classified his death as a homicide — a finding that does not assign criminal or civil responsibility but reflects the jury's determination of how he died.
The inquest jury determined Abdi's cause of death was a combination of post-cardiac arrest brain injury following blunt-force trauma and physical exertion, with underlying coronary artery disease contributing. A psychiatrist testified that Abdi's behavior was characteristic of someone experiencing schizophrenia, a diagnosis confirmed by his family and health-care providers, who said he was experiencing hallucinations and symptoms of psychosis.
On July 24, 2016, police were called to a Bridgehead coffee shop at Fairmont Avenue and Wellington Street West after reports that a man was groping women. Abdi left the shop and was followed to his Hilda Street apartment building, where two officers attempted to arrest him. Const. Daniel Montsion struck Abdi several times during the confrontation. Abdi lost vital signs and was transported to hospital, where he died the following day. Montsion was charged with manslaughter, aggravated assault and assault with a weapon but acquitted on all charges in 2020.
The inquest produced 57 recommendations, with 28 directed specifically at Ottawa Police Service. These address mental health crisis response, training, data collection and accountability, anti-Black racism and biases toward people experiencing mental illness.
Ifrah Yusuf, chair of the Justice for Abdirahman Coalition formed after the death, told the Kitchissippi Times that progress has been limited. "The Ottawa Police Service has a lot of work to do to fully implement the recommendations that were set forth by the inquest," Yusuf said. "We see a lot of the recommendations still in progress — none are considered fully implemented."
Which of the 28 police-specific recommendations has Ottawa Police Service fully implemented?
What timeline does OPS have for completing the remaining recommendations?
We'll update this story as answers emerge.
The facts
When did Abdirahman Abdi die?
Abdirahman Abdi died on July 25, 2016, one day after an encounter with Ottawa Police Service officers outside his Hintonburg apartment building.
What did the coroner's inquest conclude about his death?
The inquest jury classified Abdi's death as a homicide caused by a combination of post-cardiac arrest brain injury following blunt-force trauma and physical exertion, with underlying coronary artery disease contributing.
How many recommendations did the inquest produce, and how many were directed at Ottawa Police Service?
The inquest produced 57 recommendations total, with 28 directed specifically at Ottawa Police Service to address mental health crisis response, training, data collection, accountability, anti-Black racism, and biases toward people experiencing mental illness.
How many inquest recommendations have been fully implemented?
According to Ifrah Yusuf, chair of the Justice for Abdirahman Coalition, none of the inquest recommendations are considered fully implemented, though some remain in progress.
