Montreal police used banned hog-tie restraint before man, 29, died, coroner finds

Montreal police are being urged to re-evaluate their restraint and use-of-force protocols after a coroner's report linked a controversial technique to the 2025 death of a 29-year-old man. Quebec coroner Géhane Kamel concluded in her Aug. 12 report that the hog-tie restraint likely contributed to the death of Abisay Cruz. While Kamel ruled the death accidental, citing toxic levels of cocaine in Cruz's bloodstream, she noted he was held face down with his limbs tied behind his back for over two minutes.

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For my part, taking into account the well-documented intoxication leads me to conclude that it is highly likely that the restraint contributed to the death.

Kamel highlighted that the hog-tie method is widely discouraged and banned by several organizations due to its documented association with in-custody deaths and significant safety concerns. She stated, "For my part, taking into account the well-documented intoxication leads me to conclude that it is highly likely that the restraint contributed to the death." The coroner met with nine officers involved in the incident, which began when police responded to a report of an agitated man on a balcony.

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widely discouraged

Officers restrained Cruz on the balcony before paramedics were called. He was then carried, unconscious and handcuffed, to an ambulance. The coroner noted that Cruz was handcuffed to a gurney, a practice she described as "strictly forbidden," before paramedics attempted CPR. He was pronounced dead at the hospital. Montreal police acknowledged receiving Kamel's report and committed to rigorously implementing her recommendations. They clarified that the "hands and feet bound" technique used is not part of standard training in Quebec or Montreal, and that guidance on use-of-force methods comes from the Ministry of Internal Security.

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significant concerns regarding safety and respect for fundamental rights.