The devastated family of a man who fell to his death during a police intervention have paid emotional tribute to their "kind-hearted" son as a ten-day inquest into his death opened.
Tragic incident in Handsworth
Ayuub Hassan Abdi, aged 34, suffered fatal head injuries when he fell from a third-floor window at a property on Lansdowne Road in Handsworth during the early hours of September 6, 2023.
Birmingham Coroner's Court heard that police had been called to the address following reports that Mr Abdi had attacked two housemates while armed with a knife.
As officers entered his room on the third floor, the 34-year-old moved towards an open window behind him and a Taser was discharged moments before his fatal fall.
Family's heartbreak and tribute
Mr Abdi's grieving mother told the court she had brought her son to the UK for a "second chance" at life, never imagining his life would be "cut short in the one place I thought he would be safe".
She described the painful separation from her son when she fled their home country amid "famine and civil war", entrusting his care to a relative while she sought safety abroad.
"I had to leave my country behind. During the years we were apart, not a day went past where I didn't think of him," she told jurors through tears.
"When I finally was able to bring him to the UK, I thought I had fulfilled my duty as a mother. I never imagined my son's life would be cut short in the one country I thought he would be safe."
A life of hardship and hope
The inquest heard that Mr Abdi had endured a "difficult childhood" in his home country before his mother was able to bring him to the UK when he was 16 years old.
His sister, Sabrina Ali, painted a picture of a caring family man who "always put others before himself" and possessed a "natural warmth" that made those around him laugh.
She revealed the special bond between Mr Abdi and his mother, noting how he loved to help with cooking and cleaning as his way of "making up for the years apart they lost".
"When he was able to move to the UK, it was a second chance for him and he was always determined to make a better future for himself and for our family," Ms Ali told the court.
Investigation and ongoing inquest
The court was informed that no further action was taken against officers following an investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) into the circumstances surrounding Mr Abdi's death.
As a jury was selected for what is expected to be a ten-day inquest, the family continues to seek answers about the tragic events that unfolded during the police call-out.
Ms Ali spoke of the "deep hole" left in their family, particularly for their mother who "misses him every day" and whose heart has been permanently scarred by the loss of her only son.
"My children will never know their uncle - the kind, caring person that he was," she added, highlighting the intergenerational impact of the tragedy.
The inquest continues at Birmingham Coroner's Court as the jury examines the full circumstances leading to Mr Abdi's death.
