Montreal family wants answers after loved one dies following police intervention
'Because it's been nearly a month since my brother died and we have no information,' Josué Cruz, brother of Abisay Cruz told reporters at a press conference on Wednesday, as their mother Marcelina Isidro fought back tears.
Abisay Cruz, was declared dead in hospital after an intervention with Montreal police on March 30th at his mother's home. Neighbours and family members took video recordings and photos of the incident.
Get daily National news
Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up
By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy
'In one of the videos one of the officers involved indeed did say yes, we know that you're in distress,' said family lawyer, René Saint-Léger.
According to the Bureau des enquêtes indépendantes (BEI), police were called to the apartment shortly after 8 a.m. responding to a person in crisis. Saint-Léger said the family doesn't know who placed the call, why police arrived in such large numbers, and why officers were, in the family's view, overly aggressive.
Story continues below advertisement
'One witness said one officer kicked Mr. Cruz in the belly when he was already raising his hands as if to surrender,' said Fo Niemi, head of the Center for Research-Action on Race Relations (CRARR), who is advocating for the family.
Saint-Léger added that once Cruz was on the ground he was forcefully subdued, reminding them of what happened to George Floyd.
'One of the officers had his knee on his back, almost touching the neck of Mr. Cruz,' he pointed out.
According to Niemi, the family still has not gotten a copy of the autopsy. Cruz says the family wants a public inquiry.
A spokesperson for the BEI says their investigation is still ongoing and that their probes take an average of six months to complete.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Global News
2 hours ago
- Global News
A man accused of stabbing 11 people at a Walmart is in Michigan authorities' custody
Chaos unfolded at a Walmart in Michigan after a man burst into the store during a calm shopping afternoon and stabbed 11 people at random, authorities say. The attack on Saturday left six victims in critical condition and a suspect in custody. The 42-year-old suspect entered the store shortly before 5 p.m. and used a folding knife to stab the victims, the Grand Traverse County Sheriff's Office said in a statement on social media. Their ages weren't immediately known. A sheriff's deputy arrived within minutes and took the man into custody. Steven Carter was loading his truck in the Walmart parking lot when he saw a man cut a woman's throat with a knife. About five minutes later, the man was surrounded by shoppers in the parking lot, including one who was holding a gun. The group of five or six people kept yelling to the man 'drop the knife,' he said, and the man responded: 'I don't care, I don't care.' He kept backing away from the crowd, before someone tackled and subdued him. Story continues below advertisement 'At first, it was disbelief. I thought maybe it was like a terror attack,' said Carter, who delivers customer orders from Walmart. 'And then it was fear, disbelief, shock. And that was, it was just amazing. And it all happened fast. Like he was totally subdued on the ground by the time police arrived.' Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy An update on the condition of the victims was expected early Sunday. Emergency vehicles and uniformed first responders gathered in the parking lot of the shopping center that houses several other retail stores. Authorities also were seen interviewing employees, still wearing blue uniform vests and name tags, nearby as the response gave way to an investigation. Tiffany DeFell, 36, who lives in Honor, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) from Traverse City, said she was in the store's parking lot when she saw chaos erupt around her. 'It was really scary. Me and my sister were just freaking out,' she said. 'This is something you see out of the movies. It's not what you expect to see where you're living.' Munson Healthcare said via social media that 11 people were being treated at the region's largest hospital in northern Michigan. Spokesperson Megan Brown said all were stabbing victims. Six people were critical and five were in serious condition late Saturday, she said. Sheriff Michael Shea said the weapon involved appeared to be a folding-style knife. Shea said the suspect is believed to be a Michigan resident but declined to share further details. Michigan State Police had said earlier in the day that the suspect was in authorities' custody. Story continues below advertisement Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said: 'Our thoughts are with the victims and the community reeling from this brutal act of violence.' Walmart said in a statement that it would continue to work closely with law enforcement in the investigation. 'Violence like this is unacceptable. Our thoughts are with those who were injured and we're thankful for the swift action of first responders,' the statement said. FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino said in a social media post that bureau officials were responding to 'provide any necessary support.' Traverse City is a popular vacation spot on the coast of Lake Michigan. It is known for its cherry festival, wineries and lighthouses and is about 25 miles (40 kilometers) east of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.
Global News
20 hours ago
- Global News
5 commercial tractor trucks stolen in early morning theft: Ontario police
See more sharing options Send this page to someone via email Share this item on Twitter Share this item via WhatsApp Share this item on Facebook Ontario Provincial Police are investigating after five commercial transport trucks were stolen from Midhurst, Ont. Police say the trucks were taken near County Road 27 and Bayfield Street at around 3:30 a.m. Thursday. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy The stolen vehicles are described as 2024 or 2025 white Freightliner Cascadia truck tractors, all with day cabs and no sleeper compartments. A smaller grey vehicle, possibly a newer Honda Civic, is believed to be connected. The trucks were last seen heading south on Bayfield Street toward Highway 400 in Barrie. Authorities are asking anyone with information to contact police or Crime Stoppers.
Global News
a day ago
- Global News
The House is looking into the Epstein investigation. Here's what could happen next
A key House committee is looking into the investigation of the late Jeffrey Epstein for sex trafficking crimes, working to subpoena President Donald Trump's Department of Justice for files in the case as well as hold a deposition of Epstein's former girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell. The Republican-led House Oversight and Government Reform Committee acted just before House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., sent lawmakers home early for a monthlong break from Washington. The committee's moves are evidence of the mounting pressure for disclosure in a case that Trump has unsuccessfully urged his supporters to move past. But they were also just the start of what can be a drawn out process. Here's what could happen next in the House inquiry as lawmakers seek answers in a case that has sparked rampant speculation since Epstein's death in 2019 and more recently caused many in the Trump administration to renege on promises for a complete accounting. Subpoena for the Epstein files Story continues below advertisement Democrats, joined by three Republicans, were able to successfully initiate the subpoena from a subcommittee just as the House was leaving Washington for its August recess. But it was just the start of negotiations over the subpoena. The subcommittee agreed to redact the names and personal information of any victims, but besides that, their demand for information is quite broad, encompassing 'un-redacted Epstein files.' As the parameters of the subpoena are drafted, Democrats are demanding that it be fulfilled within 30 days from when it is served to Attorney General Pam Bondi. They have also proposed a list of document demands, including the prosecutorial decisions surrounding Epstein, documents related to his death, and communication from any president or executive official regarding the matter. Ultimately, Republicans who control the committee will have more power over the scope of the subpoena, but the fact that it was approved with a strong bipartisan vote gives it some heft. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy The committee chairman, Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., said he told the speaker that 'Republicans on the Oversight Committee were going to move to be more aggressive in trying to get transparency with the Epstein files. So, we did that, and I think that's what the American people want.' Will Congress depose Ghislaine Maxwell? Comer has said that he is hoping that staff from the committee can interview Maxwell under oath on Aug. 11 at or near the federal prison in Florida where she is serving a lengthy sentence for child sex trafficking. Story continues below advertisement In a congressional deposition, the subject typically has an attorney present to help them answer — or not answer — questions while maintaining their civil rights. Subjects also have the ability to decline to answer questions if it could be used against them in a criminal case, though in this instance that might not matter because Maxwell has already been convicted of many of the things she will likely be asked about. Maxwell has the ability to negotiate some of the terms of the deposition, and she already conducted 1 1/2 days of interviews with Justice Department officials this past week. Democrats, however, warn that Maxwell is not to be trusted. 'We should understand that this is a very complex witness and someone that has caused great harm and not a good person to a lot of people,' Rep. Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the oversight committee, told reporters this week. The House wants to subpoena others Committee Republicans also initiated a motion to subpoena a host of other people, including former President Bill Clinton, former Sen. Hillary Clinton as well as the former attorneys general dating back to Alberto Gonzales, who served under George W. Bush. It's not clear how this sweeping list of proposed subpoenas will actually play out, but Comer has said, 'We're going to move quickly on that.' Story continues below advertisement How will Pam Bondi comply? Trump is no stranger to fighting against congressional investigations and subpoenas. And as with most subpoenas, the Justice Department can negotiate the terms of how it fulfills the subpoena. It can also make legal arguments against handing over certain information. Joshua A. Levy, who teaches on congressional investigations at Georgetown Law School and is a partner at Levy Firestone Muse, said that the results of the subpoena 'depend on whether the administration wants to work through the traditional accommodation process with the House and reach a resolution or if one or both sides becomes entrenched in its position.' If Congress is not satisfied with Bondi's response — or if she were to refuse to hand over any information — there are several ways lawmakers can try to enforce the subpoena. However, that would require a vote to hold Bondi in contempt of Congress. It's practically unheard of for one political party to vote to hold one of its own members in contempt of Congress, but the Epstein saga has also cut across political lines and driven a wedge in the GOP. Growing pressure on the Trump adminitration for disclosure Ultimately, the bipartisan vote to subpoena the files showed how political pressure is mounting on the Trump administration to disclose the files. Politics, policy and the law are all bound up together in this case, and many in Congress want to see a full accounting of the sex trafficking investigation. Story continues below advertisement 'We can't allow individuals, especially those at the highest level of our government, to protect child sex traffickers,' said Rep. Summer Lee, D-Pa., a committee member. The Trump administration is already facing the potential for even more political tension. When Congress comes back to Washington in September, a bipartisan group of House lawmakers is working to advance to a full House vote a bill that aims to force the public release of the Epstein files.
