The family of Abisay Cruz is questioning the Montreal police’s use of a contentious restraint method in his fatal encounter, as detailed in a recent coroner’s report that did not clarify why officers employed a technique not endorsed by the police service. Josué Cruz, Abisay’s brother, expressed a desire to comprehend the need for such force and why a different approach was not taken given his brother’s condition during the incident. Abisay, a father and the second youngest of five siblings, tragically passed away on March 30, 2025, following a police intervention in Montreal’s Saint-Michel neighborhood, which stirred public outrage and heightened distrust in law enforcement.
The hogtie method, a restraining technique binding a person’s limbs behind their back while prone, was highlighted in the coroner’s report as a potential factor in Abisay’s accidental death. The report revealed that Abisay, grappling with deportation stress and under the influence of a significant level of cocaine, was subdued by five officers using the hogtie method. Paramedics noted his lack of movement during the encounter, with the coroner flagging a lack of supervisory intervention as his condition deteriorated.
Montreal police, including the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM), affirmed that neither they nor the provincial police academy, École nationale de police du Québec, teach the hogtie technique. While stating that officers are trained to recognize medical distress and the importance of prompt medical attention post-restraint, the SPVM declined to specify repercussions faced by the involved officers, citing privacy concerns. The coroner recommended banning the hogtie method, equipping officers with naloxone kits, and deploying body-worn cameras during crisis responses, with the police committed to following up on these suggestions.
Despite the Quebec prosecutors’ decision not to press charges against the officers involved, the community remains unsettled by the circumstances surrounding Abisay’s demise. Family members and activists, including Stephanie Germain, continue to seek clarity on the police’s actions and the accountability surrounding the use of unauthorized techniques. Josué Cruz emphasized the need for transparency regarding police training, tactics, and the decisions made during interventions, linking Abisay’s case to a broader pattern of fatal incidents involving law enforcement in the Montreal region.
