The unreleased video: Woman who watched fatal arrest of Abdirahman Abdi speaks out

A black surveillance camera the size of a fist,tucked into atop corner of the lobby at55 HildaSt., capturedthe fatal arrest of 37-year-old Abdirahman Abdi at the doorstep ofhis home in July 2016.

In addition to the confrontation with two Ottawa police officers, the soundless footage depicts the grief of family members who were prevented from rushing through the front door to helpAbdi.

The video has not been released publicly and so far only the Special Investigations Unit,the family, their lawyerand settlement workers who work with immigrants have seen the footage.

Heather Badenoch is among that last group.

"The video is incredibly violent. You can't unsee someone's death and his mother's distress,"she saidof Abdi'sfinal moments, captured by the camera.

Badenochis a communications consultant whowatched the video more than seven months ago with a handful ofstaff members from the Ottawa Community Immigrant Services Organization as they prepared their community response to Abdi's death. OCISO's non-profit housing arm operates the apartment buildingwhere Abdi lived.

She's speaking out aboutwhat she saw to counterthe Ottawa Police Association's (OPA)assertion that the SIU only laid charges because of public pressure.

Police union head calls SIU charges 'politicized'

In an interview with CBC News after the charges were laid, OPA president MattSkofexpressed skepticismabout whyConst. Daniel Montsion is accused of criminal wrongdoing.The 36-year-old Ottawa police constable is charged with manslaughter, aggravated assault and assault with a weapon.

"We expected [charges]to occur given the amount of attention garnered by this incident," saidSkof, who has not seen the CCTV footage.

Protests across the country were organized after Abdi's death, and Skofcriticized community groups who argued race was a possiblefactor.

• Ottawa police union president calls racism speculation in fatal arrest 'inappropriate'
• Protests, marches, campaigns take place across Canada 1 month afterAbdi's death

"Our experience with the SIU has been unfortunatelypoliticized andparalyzingthe profession of police outside the mandate of what's provided to us by the public and the government," Skofsaid.

'We never see Abdi move again'

But after viewing the video, Badenochbelieves the charges against Montsion were warranted.

"From what I've seen, the level of violence we saw had to lead to charges," she said.

According to Badenoch, the video shows Abdirunning to the entrance of the building andtrying to get in. Two officers pull him away from the glass doors andforce him down to the ground.Abdi doesn'thave a weapon and isn't resisting, Badenoch said.Both officers hit Abdi with batons, andone punchedhim.

Heather Badenoch describes video of Abdi's arrest

8 years ago

Duration 1:06

Heather Badenoch is part of a small group of people who have seen unreleased surveillance video footage of Abdirahman Abdi's fatal confrontation with Ottawa police.

"When Abdi is lying on the ground, face down and still, the constable who has been chargedpunches him in the head very violently, twice, and we never see Abdi move again," she said.

The video also shows a group of peoplegathered in the lobby, barred by police from going outside to help Abdi.

"One of those people was Abdi's mother," said Badenoch. "You don't need sound to recognize the distress in her body language, her face, the wayshe's holding herself ... No one is helping her son."

Footage 'triggering and inflammatory'

AlthoughBadenoch saidthe video would, in her opinion, put to rest any doubts about the SIU charge, she doesn't want itout in the open because it could be "triggering and inflammatory."

"The video is real, it's not a television show. Someone'slife ends."

Lawrence Greenspon, the family's lawyer, saidAbdi's parents don'twant the video released.It's a decision the Justice for AbdirahmanCoalition supports.

Coalition criticizes Ottawa police union

8 years ago

Duration 0:51

William Felepchuk, a spokesperson for the Justice for Abdirahman Coalition, is criticizing the Ottawa Police Association president for calling the charges politically motivated.

The coalition is also criticizingSkof'scomments that the charges against Montsionwerepolitically motivated.

"We find it ironic that someone who is so intimately involved in the administration of lawand justicehas so little faith in the legal institutions," saidcoalition spokesperson William Felepchuk.

"Somany people after Abdirahman Abdi's death said, 'Wait for the investigation, wait for the SIUreport to come out.' Now that it has come out, there's people saying it's not a criminal issue,it's a political issue, and we find that very ironic."

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