Disabled man in coma after attack
Police believe east-end attack was drug-related, neighbours shocked
An Ottawa man remained in a medically induced coma late Thursday after he was badly beaten at his east-end home on Canada Day, a beating that police believe was drug-related.
Neighbours have identified the victim as Ian Cope, 31, who operated a karaoke business from his home and who uses a wheelchair.
The Ottawa police major crime unit is investigating the vicious beating at the man’s residence on Rothbury Crescent near Montreal Road around 12:30 p.m. Wednesday. The victim was known to police. It came as a shock to neighbours, who described Cope as a “straightforward” and “honest” person.
One neighbour, who said he had drinks with Cope the night before the assault, called him a “nice guy” and said the attack “caught everyone by surprise.”
Next-door neighbour Elise Gravel also spoke highly of Cope, expressing her surprise at the assault.
“Everybody more or less knows him, and I can’t see why anyone would really dislike the gentleman,” said Gravel. “He doesn’t look like (a) threat or (a) big thug or anything.”
Cope is named as the contact for a company called Summit Entertainment, which is listed under his home address at 87 Rothbury Cres. A call to the company went straight to voice mail.
Neighbours reported seeing three men fighting with Cope at his door after the men had asked a resident where they
They were looking for somebody in a wheelchair,, but whether that was him or somebody else ... there (are) a lot of wheelchairaccessible units here.
could find a man in a wheelchair.
“They were looking for somebody in a wheelchair,” said Gravel, “but whether that was him or somebody else ... there (are) a lot of wheelchair-accessible units here.”
Police responded to a call from an alarm company and found the man unconscious on the ground with severe facial injuries and blood all over his face.
The man was taken to hospital in critical condition and put into an induced coma. By Thursday, the man’s condition had not improved.
Police said they have a few witnesses to the beating but they have not yet identified a suspect.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Ottawa Police Major Crime Unit at 613-236-1222 ext. 5493. Anonymous tips can be submitted by calling Crime Stoppers toll-free at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or by downloading the Ottawa police iOS app.