The 41-year-old-man who was shot and killed by Montreal police last Monday was laid to rest Saturday afternoon in Longueuil, Que.
Alain Magloire leaves behind two daughters. He formerly worked as a researcher in biochemistry, and volunteered to help children with disabilities.
He was the son of former Haitian Minister of Justice, Rene Magloire.
On Feb. 7, the Quebec Coroner’s Office announced a public inquiry into Magloire's death, after he was shot dead by police last week.
“This is the best news that we could get,” said Peter Magloire, Alain's brother. “I'm living a nightmare. Sometimes I even wake up and I'm crying while I'm sleeping.”
Many questions remain unanswered after the incident, which began when police responded to 9-1-1 calls about a man who was attacking someone with a hammer.
They had requested an officer with a Taser gun help subdue Magloire, but before that officer arrived, an officer shot Magloire.
He later died in hospital.
According to a news release, the inquiry will examine procedures during emergency interventions involving people who may have mental health issues.
Pierre Magloire said that his brother's mental health problems began in 2006 after he attended a rave and took ecstasy.
“The chief coroner believes this inquiry will be useful, notably for informing the public on the probable causes and circumstances surrounding this death,” the release reads.
Some have noted that a taser gun might could have saved Magloire's life but the Montreal police still only has 37 such units and only 150 officers have been trained in their usage.
Magloire is the third homeless man shot to death by local police in the last three years and one official who works with the homeless is hoping that something good comes out of the new inquiry.
“I’ll be very damned disappointed if there are results of the inquiry and they don't implement them,” said Matthew Pearce of the Old Brewery Mission.
A date has not yet been set for the inquest.
Following the 2011 deaths of Mario Hamel, a homeless man who police shot and killed, and passerby Patrick Limoges, killed by a stray bullet in the same incident, coroner Dr. Pierre Brochu recommended the Montreal police should have increased access to Tasers.
Hamel was wielding a knife, which he was using to cut garbage bags, when he was shot.
Brochu’s report also recommended more firearms training for police officers as well as improvements in social services for psychiatric patients and people with mental health problems.
-- with files from La Presse Canadienne
