Black man fatally shot by Montreal police in NDG identified as Sheffield Matthews

The Quebec coroner's office has identified the Black man who was shot and killed by Montreal police officers in NDG Thursdayas 41-year-old Sheffield Matthews.

The province's police watchdog, known as the BEI, is investigating Matthews's death. The early-morning shooting happened at the corner of Cte Saint-Luc Road and West Hill avenue.

According to initial reports gathered by the BEI, officers responded to a 911 call about a man in distress.

Officers found Matthews, who was holding a knife and approaching their squad car. The officers remained in the car until they saw Matthews approaching the driver of another vehicle. Officers fatally shot Matthews when hecharged towardthemwith the knife still in hand.

The BEIis looking to determineexactly what happened.

Guy Lapointe, a spokesperson the BEI,tweetedThursday evening that BEI investigators are searching for the driver of a bus or minibus, who may have witnessed the shooting.

Matthews's death comes as the SPVM deals with growing scrutiny about its treatment of Black, Indigenous and people of colour.

On Thursday evening, Cte-des-Neiges-Notre-Dame-de-Grce Borough Mayor Sue Montgomery reacted to the newsthat the victim was Black, expressing her condolences to his family and loved ones.

"In CDN-NDG, we have a sad and tragic history of police violence against Black men. The senseless killing of people of colour needs to end. Systemic racism is undeniable. It is present in the SPVM and in all facets of our society."

Montgomery pointed to the police killing of Anthony Griffin, who died almost exactly 33 years ago, onNov. 11, 1987, outside an NDG police station.

She also referred to Nicholas Gibbs, a 23-year-old Black man police shot in NDG in 2018after they respondedto a call abouta fight.

Max Stanley Bazin, of the Black Coalition of Quebec,questioned the BEI'sneutrality, saying the watchdog lacks representation of people of colour while also pointing to its track record which has led to few charges against police officers.