'We still haven't accepted this': Family of woman assaulted by Calgary police officer speaks
Dalia Kafi's friends and family remember her as someone who used to light up a room and who loved social gatherings.
"Dalia was a great person," said Bearina Kafi, Dalia's older sister.
"To me, personally, she's been so helpful. To the rest of her siblings, she's been a sister that everyone can want."
But Bearina says Dalia wasn't the same after she was assaulted by a Calgary Police officer in 2017.
A video released during the assault trial for Cst. Alex Dunn shows him throwing Kafi face-first to the ground as her hands were behind her back in handcuffs. Her head bounces off the floor and Kafi is seen bleeding in the video. During the trial, her lawyer said she needed surgery for a broken nose and received stitches on her lip.
* Warning: Video and details in this story may be upsetting to some.
Kafi had been arrested for breaching curfew. Dunn was found guilty of assault causing bodily harm last year.
"I think the effect of that injury to her... it affected her," Bearina said.
"It's not that she expressed what she was feeling, but we can see from her behaviour -- she changed how she used to be," she said.
Dunn was given a 30-day conditional sentence with no jail time in June of this year.
Dalia Kafi being assaulted by CPS officer in 2017
Kafi died suddenly in Red Deer, days before the constable's sentence was handed down. Her friends and family say they are still trying to make sense of her death.
"Up to now, we don't know exactly what happened to Dalia," said Natale Nganzi, a family friend. "It is really shocking and devastating," he said.
A viewing and funeral for Kafi is being held in Edmonton this weekend.
"There's no easy way to describe how we felt or how we're feeling until now. Still, we haven't accepted this," Bearina said.
OFFICER ON LEAVE WITHOUT PAY
The family also hasn't accepted the sentence for Dunn, which they say is far too lenient.
Dunn has been suspended by the Calgary Police Service (CPS) without pay and the service says he's not in possession of his CPS issued gun, use of force equipment or his badge.
"The assault on Dalia by Constable Alex Dunn has been, and continues to be, taken seriously by our Service. It was reported internally and investigated thoroughly," reads a statement from CPS to CTV News.
"Constable Dunn’s conviction and sentencing is certainly not the end of this case. There is a potential for the sentence or conviction to be appealed, but once the criminal court process is complete, we will engage our internal disciplinary process."
Dunn is also the subject of an internal CPS investigation for an unrelated incident that happened in 2012.
The conditional sentence given to Dunn for assault, and her sudden death days before, came as back-to-back blows the family is still trying to deal with.
"We just couldn't understand it. We don't understand how the law came to that conclusion," Bearina said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Iran fires air defence batteries in provinces as explosions heard near Isfahan
Iran fired air defence batteries early Friday morning as explosions could be heard near a major air base near Isfahan, raising fears of a possible Israeli strike following Tehran's unprecedented drone-and-missile assault on the country.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
Nearly half of China's major cities are sinking, researchers say
Nearly half of China's major cities are suffering 'moderate to severe' levels of subsidence, putting millions at risk of flooding especially as sea levels rise.
Prince Harry formally confirms he is now a U.S. resident
Prince Harry, the son of King Charles III and fifth in line to the British throne, has formally confirmed he is now a U.S. resident.
Judge says 'no evidence fully supports' murder case against Umar Zameer as jury starts deliberations
The judge presiding over the trial of a man accused of fatally running over a Toronto police officer is telling jurors the possible verdicts they may reach based on the evidence in the case.
Health Canada to change sperm donor screening rules for men who have sex with men
Health Canada will change its longstanding policy restricting gay and bisexual men from donating to sperm banks in Canada, CTV News has learned. The federal health agency has adopted a revised directive removing the ban on gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, effective May 8.
Colin Jost names one celebrity who is great at hosting 'Saturday Night Live'
Colin Jost, who co-anchors Saturday Night Live's 'Weekend Update,' revealed who he thinks is one of the best hosts on the show.
Sports columnist apologizes for 'oafish' comments directed at Caitlin Clark. The controversy isn't over
A male columnist has apologized for a cringeworthy moment during former University of Iowa superstar and college basketball's highest scorer Caitlin Clark's first news conference as an Indiana Fever player.
'Shopaholic' author Sophie Kinsella reveals brain cancer diagnosis
Sophie Kinsella, the best-selling author behind the 'Shopaholic' book series, has revealed that she is receiving treatment for brain cancer.