OTTAWA — An inquest has been scheduled to probe the high-profile death of an Ottawa man after an encounter with police eight years ago.
Abdirahman Abdi, a 37-year-old Somali Canadian man, died in hospital after an altercation with Ottawa police in July 2016.
An Ontario judge found a police constable not guilty of several charges in October 2020, ruling that the prosecution hadn't proved beyond a reasonable doubt that the blows Abdi suffered during the confrontation resulted in his death.
The inquest, which is mandatory under the provincial Coroners Act, is scheduled to last 21 days, hear from 25 witnesses and examine the circumstances surrounding the death.
A lawsuit filed by Abdi's family was settled with the Ottawa Police Services Board in 2021, with the details kept confidential.
The inquest into Abdi's death, which prompted protest in the city, is set to begin on Nov. 18.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 24, 2024.
The Canadian Press
