Was a homeless man's death at the hands of police preventable? Witnesses say it is very well possible, and the head of the Old Brewery mission is among those demanding answers.
"This was an event that shook everybody," mission president and CEO Matthew Pearce told CTV Montreal. "This is something that is lingering on now that shocked people. Clients are destabilized and staff upset. We're getting psychological support for those who wish it."
The man had been using some of the shelter's services for over a decade, according to Pearce, but he was unsure of the man's age as "he didn't use our programs that help move people out of homelessness and back into society." He is believed to be in his late 30s, and Pearce says he was supposed to meet with staff at the mission on Monday.
The man was shot shortly after an armed assault was reported to police inside the YMCA at the Complexe Guy-Favreau on René-Lévesque Blvd. near Jeanne-Mance St. around 2:30 p.m. on Friday, according to several sources.
Tom Kubo says he was in the YMCA gym when the man, who he identifies as the homeless man later killed, entered.
"He was dressed like he just came in from the outside," he recalledd. "He came in and I heard this guy yelling 'Don't fight in here, there's no fighting.' I looked down and right behind [me] there was a pool of blood. I looked around and the victim was holding his throat."
It appeared the weapon in his hand was a plastic knife, according to Kubo.
The suspect fled but police cornered him in an alley nearby, at the corner of Clark and St-Laurent Sts., close to the Old Brewery Mission.
Police say the man was shot at least once after he made threatening gestures with both his hands holding sharp object. The gunshot to the upper body proved to be fatal.
However, several witnesses say the death could have been prevented if police had used lesser force, such as a TASER gun.