Suicide not a factor in police shooting: victim's family

The family of a man who was killed by police in Winnipeg last week say he would not have used police to commit suicide, as suggested by one officer's lawyer.

Howard Fleury, 34, was shot by police responding to a domestic complaint Friday night at a home on Alfred Avenue in Winnipeg's North End neighbourhood.

The police department won't officially discuss the details of the incident until their investigation is complete. At least two officers have been placed on leave while the case is investigated.

Hymie Weinstein, a lawyer who represents one of the officers on leave, said Tuesday that his client told him Fleury talked about "suicide by cop" in the moments before the fatal shooting. The term suicide by cop means creating a situation where police will have to shoot.

• FROM DEC. 7, 2005: Man shot by police talked about 'suicide by cop': lawyer

But Fleury's family doesn't believe he wanted to commit suicide.

"We do not believe Howard wanted to die. Or needed to die," the family said in a statement released late Wednesday afternoon.

The family also said it hopes the police investigation and an inquest will help them find out exactly what happened last Friday.

"We are hoping to get some answers from police regarding what went so terribly wrong," the statement says.

"We are trusting that if the officers acted wrongly or used unnecessary force, that they will be treated like any other citizen and will be prosecuted for whatever offences that they committed."

Police are continuing to investigate Fleury's death and have released no further information. A provincial inquest into the death is required by law.