WARNING: This story accommodates descriptions and video of police utilizing power in opposition to a person.
The household of Abisay Cruz, a 29-year-old Montreal man who died after a police intervention turned violent, is talking out and demanding a public coroner’s inquiry.
“He was in disaster and wanted assist,” mentioned Josué Cruz, the sufferer’s brother.
“As a substitute of receiving assist and safety, he was violently assaulted, handcuffed and abused by 4 cops. His dying is totally unjustifiable and unacceptable.”
Quebec’s police watchdog, the Bureau des enquêtes indépendantes (BEI), mentioned Montreal police responded to a 911 name on March 30 about an individual in disaster.
Officers arrived a couple of minutes later, and an altercation occurred between them and a person on the scene and officers ultimately restrained him.
The BEI mentioned the person, who was later recognized as Cruz, suffered “malaise,” misplaced consciousness and died later in hospital. He was given first-aid and transported to hospital the place he was declared useless.
Relations, a lot of whom have been on the scene that day, say there’s extra to the story. In response to the household, paramedics weren’t allowed contained in the condo and have been solely capable of deal with Cruz as soon as police had moved him outdoors of the constructing.
They’re additionally questioning if his race performed a job in how he was handled throughout the intervention and afterwards.
Household releases new video of incident
The household launched new video footage of the incident on Wednesday. CBC Information watched the movies, which, in complete, run virtually three minutes.
The movies present two officers restraining Cruz on the again balcony of the condo the place he lived along with his mom in Saint-Michel.
Cruz is face down on his abdomen and the officers are kneeling. It is not clear in the event that they’re kneeling on or beside him.
At one level, Cruz’s legs look like thrashing in opposition to the balcony. He is clearly in misery. At a sure second, Cruz could be heard yelling, “Je vais mourir,” which interprets to, “I will die.”
One other video from a unique angle shared on social media picks up occasions a bit later. On this video, Cruz could be seen struggling whereas an officer is clearly kneeling on his again.
WATCH | Household supplies video of police intervention the place Cruz heard yelling, ‘I will die’:
Household of Montreal man who died following police intervention requires public coroner’s inquiry
Three weeks after 29-year-old Abisay Cruz died following a police intervention at his residence, his household has known as his dying ‘unjustifiable,’ whereas releasing new video of the intervention by which Cruz is heard yelling ‘I’m going to die.’
The household says the movies elevate many questions. Fo Niemi, head of the native advocacy group, Heart for Analysis-Motion on Race Relations (CRARR), agrees.
“The query is why such extreme power when the coverage directive was towards de-escalation, particularly with somebody who was in a visual state of misery, clearly in want of psychological well being assist,” mentioned Niemi.
Requires calm, assist
Earlier this month, a crowd of individuals made their mistrust of Montreal’s police service referred to as they marched towards the Saint-Michel police publish, just some blocks south of the place Cruz died.
It was the second dying following a police operation in lower than 12 hours that weekend. The BEI launched investigations into each circumstances.
“The residents of this neighbourhood are anxious,” mentioned group organizer Stéphanie Germain at the beginning of the march.
Members of Cruz’s household stood at a distance behind her, opting to not converse as a result of ongoing BEI investigation.
Members of Cruz’s household led the march which began in entrance of the residence the place the police intervention passed off on March 30, close to the intersection of Pie-XI Boulevard and forty seventh Road. (Paula Dayan-Perez/CBC)
Some folks wore balaclavas and black hoodies with an image of Cruz smiling and holding a cake on his twenty ninth birthday, which he celebrated lower than two weeks earlier than he died.
“We have been instructed issues would get higher, however in the present day we’re afraid,” Germain mentioned. “Sadly, in the present day we ask ourselves what’s the position of police if to not defend.”
Protesters continued to march previous the police department earlier than turning again and gathering in entrance of the residence the place the intervention passed off. Through the march, protesters threw pyrotechnics into the air at varied factors.
Police mentioned they arrested six folks — 4 for armed assault in opposition to an officer and two for assault additionally in opposition to an officer. She mentioned no person was injured.
Montreal police have since known as for calm. Cruz’s household can be asking folks to not protest, however somewhat to assist their requires a public coroner’s inquiry.
The coroner’s workplace instructed CBC Information they’re nonetheless investigating and never ruling out holding a public inquiry.
