First day of inquest hears of Abdirahman Abdi’s earlier life, mental health struggles in Canada [Video]

The Abdirahman Abdi inquest is being livestreamed during the day here.

The first day of a coroner’s inquest into the death of a Black man who died in 2016 after a violent altercation with Ottawa police began Monday with a rare glimpse into his life before coming to Ottawa, and his mental health struggles once he arrived in the city. 

The inquest’s opening moments also laid out what participants expect will be a weeks-long process diving at times into uncomfortable and contentious issues. 

On July 25, 2016, Abdirahman Abdi, a 38-year-old Somali-Canadian, was pronounced dead a day after he was arrested during a physical struggle that happened in front of his Hintonburg apartment building.

Abdi’s death sparked outrage in Ottawa and beyond, and led to questions about police use of force and their handling of Black men and mental health calls. 

One of the arresting officers was found not guilty of manslaughter in 2020. Abdi’s family and police settled a …