Windsor police and Windsor Regional Hospital support call for coroner's inquest in Mahoney death
Mahoney was 33 when he was shot and killed by police officers
Good training for Windsor police officers saved them when they responded to Matthew Mahoney last March, according to chief Al Frederick.
"We learned that the tools that these officers have been given, their de-escalation attempts, probably saved their lives," said Frederick, the day following the release of the Special Investigations Unit report.
Mahoney was 33 when he was shot and killed by police.
On March 21, 2018, police received a complaint about a man with a block of knives. Officers located near Wyandotte Street and Goyeau Street.
In their interaction, one officer was left with a knife wound to his palm. Then two police officers shot Mahoney multiple times.
The Special Investigations Unit cleared the officers, determining they were justified in using lethal force.
Frederick said the officers who responded are both experienced, and that he's met with them to talk about their struggles.
"Both officers will suffer trauma from this incident for the rest of their lives."
He also said it isn't unusual for the officers to decline being interviewed or submit their notes during the SIU investigation process. It is their legal right under the Police Services Act.
Coroner's inquest welcomed
Mahoney's family members have been asking for a coroner's inquest, which Frederick supports.
"With this case it's important we recognize that a young man lost his life. Our thoughts are with his family," said Frederick.
After Mahoney died, his brother Michael, had talked about the lack of resources in the health care system and how it failed Matthew.
Michael said Matthew had battled with schizophrenia for decades. The morning of his death, he had been off his medication for a year.
What the SIU report doesn't address are the events that unfolded before the incident and the "broader picture," Michael said.
The inquest would look at the big picture and hopefully "keep police out of situations where health care professionals should be responding," Michael said.
In response to the family's criticism of the health care system, Frederick said he agrees with the family.
"When our officers are on the street dealing with this, you know that's not our job. Someone else has failed in providing proper care for that person," he said.
"Their son had acute needs and it wasn't available."
According to president and CEO of Windsor Regional Hospital David Musyj, "a formal review" of Mahoney's clinical interactions before his death has been conducted by the hospital, other professional clinicians, health care organizations and the Windsor Police Service.
"We shared those results with the family and have made some positive changes to try to identify higher risk individuals that are not fully engaging in various parts of the system," he writes in an email statement.
"However, if an inquest is called, we will fully participate to determine if something could have been done differently in this case that might benefit others in the future."