‘A nightmare’: Montreal family caught in police shootout suing SPVM and City 

A family that was caught in a shootout between Montreal police and an armed suspect last year is suing the police force and the city.

Houssam Abdallah and his family members allege the officers acted negligently and recklessly towards them, causing lasting physical and mental impacts.

The lawyers for the family made the announcement on Monday, exactly one year to the day since the shootout on Aug. 4, 2024.

“They are allowed, they have the right to be compensated for what happened, so they are exercising their right,” said Virginie Dufresne-Lemire, Abdallah family lawyer. “They’re not able to do what they used to do. So it’s yeah, their life completely changed. “They’ve been through a nightmare, the damages that they suffered, there are so many numerous ones that it’s hard to just name them.”

A civil lawsuit is being filed by the family against the City of Montreal and officers of the Montreal Police Department (SPVM).

Abdel Rahman Abdallah, 18 at the time, and his father, Houssam Abdallah, then 54, were unpacking after a camping trip in front of their DDO home.

Gunfire broke out after a suspect allegedly tried to steal their car and shot at police. Between 30 and 40 shots were reportedly fired.

Dufresne-Lemire says Abdallah was shot six times and his son was shot once during a shootout between police and a 26-year-old suspect.

The suspect allegedly tried to steal Abdallah’s vehicle before exchanging gunfire with police in front of the family’s home.

The family says Abdallah and his son were left on the ground without medical care for at least an hour and were eventually handcuffed.

“Who could have known that a weekend camping trip would end like this?” said Houssam, in a statement. “When I saw a bullet hit my son, the decision to throw myself in front of him to protect my children was simple. It was instinct, an act I would repeat without hesitation despite the suffering that followed. I heard nothing but the sound of bullets piercing my body, then the world stopped. I closed my eyes, waiting for the end, but a voice pulled me out of the fog. It was my son lying next to me, saying: “I love you, Dad, please don’t die.”

Quebec’s Crown prosecution office announced in June it would not lay charges against Montreal police officers in the case, following an investigation by the province’s police watchdog.

SPVM told CityNews in statement:

“Considering the legal proceedings initiated against the City of Montreal, we will refrain from commenting on the matter to preserve the integrity of the ongoing judicial process. The Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM) is fully cooperating with the relevant authorities and reaffirms its commitment to acting with rigor and in full compliance with applicable laws. We also wish to emphasize that the SPVM takes all allegations made against it very seriously and remains steadfast in its obligation to uphold the fundamental rights of all individuals concerned.”

“A new wave of hope washed over me, and I began to fight again to stay conscious, to stay alive, for my family, for my wife, for my daughters, for my sons, and for myself,” added Houssam.

Even after one year, the Abdallah family says they have not had access to the results of the investigations conducted to shed light on the event.

“It’s been a year, sitting here today, I’m still searching for the right words to describe this past year,” said Jana Abdallah, daughter of Houssam. “Horrible, terrifying, traumatic, demoralizing, heartbreaking, confusing, frightening, revolting, stressful, these are some of the words that come to mind, but none of them seem sufficient.”

The Abdallah family accuses the officers involved in the intervention of failing to take the necessary precautions to ensure their safety by firing shots in a residential neighborhood while they were nearby, thereby using excessive force against them.

“He’s [the suspect] charged against murder for other people, possibly police officers. There’s a deduction to be made because the bullets that the family received were from police officers firearm,” said Dufresne-Lemire. “These people are extremely resilient. They are. As gentle as people can be. But they have been through so much the last year.”

Through this lawsuit, the members of the Abdallah family are seeking $6.5 million in compensation.

“This situation is deeply frustrating and like many of our residents, I wish this had never happened and that things were moving faster,” said Alex Bottausci, DDO mayor. “That said, this is a police investigation, and it’s important to recognize that it falls entirely within their jurisdiction. I have personally visited the family many times, and my office has also reached out to them on multiple occasions. We’ve done everything we could to offer support.”

When asked about potential efforts made for increasing safety and preventative measures, Mayor Bottausci said he is calling on the Minister of Public Security to get involved.

“While it’s possible that standard procedures were followed, we cannot accept a situation where 40 shots are fired and two innocent people are seriously injured as something that is “normal.” We need to take a hard look at what happened—not only to determine if the use of force was justified, but also to ask whether policies and training around high-risk interventions need to be re-evaluated,” he explained.

Meanwhile, the Abdallah family is still dealing with the aftermath of the shooting, one year later.

“The following months were punctuated by suffering and obstacles,” said Houssam.  “For every two steps forward, I took one step back. I went from working at the hospital to spending my days at the hospital for my appointments. The journey has only just begun, and the end of the tunnel remains beyond the horizon.”

“It’s a miracle that my father survived that night, but it’s hard work and determination that have kept him with us,” said Jana. “These uncertain times make it difficult to imagine what the future holds and what costs it will entail. The legal action we are announcing today is intended to help us cover those costs, but the process itself is expensive.”

—With files from The Canadian Press