Dear Editor:
Mathias Bunyan was experiencing a mental health crisis when he was shot and killed, in his own home, by an OPP officer.
The big question isn’t whether or not the SIU investigation result is right or wrong – that can be debated ad nauseam.
Rather:
– the question is, why do we send armed police officers to deal with individuals in crisis?;
-the question is, why was it “too long” to wait for a negotiator to come?;
– the question is, why did they have to pepper spray him while he was hiding in a closet in his own home?;
– the question is, why wasn’t the Integrated Mobile Police and Crisis team involved?
Time and time again we send officers not trained in de-escalation or mental health issues to deal with people in crisis. Time and time again these people end up dead.
Perhaps it is time to try a different approach – maybe we will get a better or a different result.
Ian Hornsby,
Elora