The brother of the victim of a police shooting in downtown Windsor says he was “a kind and caring person” who needed help.
Michael Mahoney tells CTV Windsor his younger brother Matt suffered from mental illness for a number of years, and was diagnosed with schizophrenia.
Mahoney, who was older by only 18 months, admits it’s still difficult to understand that his brother Matt has died.
Matt Mahoney was shot and killed Wednesday morning during a confrontation with police in the alley between the Shoppers Drug Mart and McDonald's restaurant near Goyeau Street and Tuscarora Street.
Few details are being released about the shooting, but the province's Special Investigation Unit confirms two police officers fired their guns.
The SIU also says the 33-year-old victim was shot multiple times.
Witnesses tell CTV News a man was carrying a butcher block of knives, and refused to heed a police order that he stop. They also report seeing police taser the man, but it failed stop him and he knocked an officer to the ground before police opened fire.
Two Windsor police officers have been treated for non-life threatening injuries.
Since the shooting remains under investigation, Michael Mahoney says he doesn’t have much more information about the incident.
But Mahoney doesn’t believe his brother received the proper treatment despite reaching out for help, and family members were “worried about his health” just three days before his violent death.
Michael Mahoney tells CTV News he last saw his brother at Christmas and talked to him just two weeks ago. Mahoney says he will remember Matt as a person who cared for other people.
“A really kind, caring person who would go out of his way to help anyone even though he had nothing and that's what I'm going to remember,” says Michael Mahoney. “Those are the stories we're talking about right now how someone with so little and so many troubles would do so much for other people.”
Mahoney adds he doesn't blame Windsor police for his brother's death.
"Many officers showed him a lot of patience and understanding. Those officers deserve a lot of respect for doing a very difficult job.”
The SIU says they have identified two officers and eight witnesses as part of the investigation.
But officials are not commenting on the roles of the officers involved since the shooting.
The SIU is now asking any witnesses to come forward with information, and people who might have video of this shooting is asked to upload them on the agency website.
The SIU is an arm’s length agency that investigates reports involving police where there has been death, serious injury or allegations of sexual assault.
