Man slain by police had history of mental illness

[Guest guest]

(I added the highlights.)http://www.thestar.com/article/557233Man slain by police had history of mental illness

Dec 22, 2008 04:30 AM

Robyn Doolittle

Staff Reporter

Gregg

Moynagh, the Mississauga man shot dead by police yesterday morning

outside his father's apartment, was bipolar and had battled mental

illness for years.This weekend, he began taking new medication. Friends were hopeful he'd get better. Then yesterday, the 25-year-old snapped."He

had been screaming earlier," said Affan, who lives across the hall and

didn't want to give his full name. "His door was shut and so was mine,

but I could hear him clearly. "When the police arrived they

told him to come out. He wouldn't. The next thing I heard was police

saying, `Lay down the knives.' Then there were two gunshots."According

to investigators, a 911 call to Peel police about 1 a.m. yesterday

reported that a distraught male was yelling and throwing things off a

fifth-floor balcony. Four officers arrived at the building on Helene St. N., near Lakeshore Rd. and Hurontario St. in Port Credit. Moynagh

was shot in the hallway, steps from the stairwell, after allegedly

lunging at police officers. Investigators recovered two knives at the

scene. The province's Special Investigations Unit, which probes

all cases of serious injury or death involving police, is

investigating. The SIU has designated four officers – one subject officer and three witness officers.SIU spokesperson Yoannou said no one else was in the apartment at the time. Burry, a friend who bumped into Moynagh on Thursday, said he talked of police and a disturbance."It's

so strange now. He was telling me – as if it had already happened – how

he was throwing things off the balcony, then when he threw stuff off

the cops had apparently come. "I can't remember if it was a

knife or something that he had and the cops were going to shoot him,

but he dropped it and they left," said the 28-year-old. Moynagh planned to pick up some new medication that night, Burry remembers him saying."He's

a really nice guy. Really funny too. It's sad. He definitely didn't

deserve this," said Burry. "He helped people. He's helped me through

stuff."Yoannou said he could not comment on any incidents that

may have occurred before yesterday's shooting because the case is under

investigation, but several neighbours contacted by the Star don't recall anything unusual from last week.Moynagh

typically lived with his mother in son, about 10 minutes west

along Lakeshore Rd. But sometimes, when his father would go away on

business, he'd stay at his home to get some space, said his on-again,

off-again girlfriend, Brittani Silvestre.Yesterday was

Silvestre's 19th birthday. The couple had been fighting, but Moynagh

called her about 12:30 a.m. to let her know he'd got her a birthday

card and wanted to meet. She was out at a dance club with friends

celebrating, but agreed to meet around 1 a.m. not far from his father's

home."Then he just didn't show up and I didn't see why. I thought he was just being a jerk," Silvestre said through gasping sobs. "When

I talked to him earlier, he sounded completely fine. He sounded a lot

better. He said, `I'm sorry, the medication is just really making me

crazy.'"The pair had recently decided to take some time off

because of Moynagh's bipolar disorder. He was starting new medication

and they were fighting."He just needed some time to sort things out," she said. "I just can't believe this is really happening."As news began to spread yesterday afternoon, friends expressed shock and sadness."He had some problems, but he seemed totally fine," said Cousins, who saw Moynagh last week.Childhood friend Josh Thomson said Moynagh a great guy who liked to make people laugh."We

were just watching the news and saw that. I can't believe it." said

Thomson, who grew up on the same street as Moynagh in son. "He was

very funny. A little off the wall, you know."Silvestre said she

hopes people remember Moynagh for the way he was when he was well: The

guy with the dry sense of humour. The guy who loved rap music and

Formula 1 racing. And the guy who always found time to be there for his

friends.

[Guest guest]

(I added the highlights.)http://www.thestar.com/article/557233Man slain by police had history of mental illness

Dec 22, 2008 04:30 AM

Robyn Doolittle

Staff Reporter

Gregg

Moynagh, the Mississauga man shot dead by police yesterday morning

outside his father's apartment, was bipolar and had battled mental

illness for years.This weekend, he began taking new medication. Friends were hopeful he'd get better. Then yesterday, the 25-year-old snapped."He

had been screaming earlier," said Affan, who lives across the hall and

didn't want to give his full name. "His door was shut and so was mine,

but I could hear him clearly. "When the police arrived they

told him to come out. He wouldn't. The next thing I heard was police

saying, `Lay down the knives.' Then there were two gunshots."According

to investigators, a 911 call to Peel police about 1 a.m. yesterday

reported that a distraught male was yelling and throwing things off a

fifth-floor balcony. Four officers arrived at the building on Helene St. N., near Lakeshore Rd. and Hurontario St. in Port Credit. Moynagh

was shot in the hallway, steps from the stairwell, after allegedly

lunging at police officers. Investigators recovered two knives at the

scene. The province's Special Investigations Unit, which probes

all cases of serious injury or death involving police, is

investigating. The SIU has designated four officers – one subject officer and three witness officers.SIU spokesperson Yoannou said no one else was in the apartment at the time. Burry, a friend who bumped into Moynagh on Thursday, said he talked of police and a disturbance."It's

so strange now. He was telling me – as if it had already happened – how

he was throwing things off the balcony, then when he threw stuff off

the cops had apparently come. "I can't remember if it was a

knife or something that he had and the cops were going to shoot him,

but he dropped it and they left," said the 28-year-old. Moynagh planned to pick up some new medication that night, Burry remembers him saying."He's

a really nice guy. Really funny too. It's sad. He definitely didn't

deserve this," said Burry. "He helped people. He's helped me through

stuff."Yoannou said he could not comment on any incidents that

may have occurred before yesterday's shooting because the case is under

investigation, but several neighbours contacted by the Star don't recall anything unusual from last week.Moynagh

typically lived with his mother in son, about 10 minutes west

along Lakeshore Rd. But sometimes, when his father would go away on

business, he'd stay at his home to get some space, said his on-again,

off-again girlfriend, Brittani Silvestre.Yesterday was

Silvestre's 19th birthday. The couple had been fighting, but Moynagh

called her about 12:30 a.m. to let her know he'd got her a birthday

card and wanted to meet. She was out at a dance club with friends

celebrating, but agreed to meet around 1 a.m. not far from his father's

home."Then he just didn't show up and I didn't see why. I thought he was just being a jerk," Silvestre said through gasping sobs. "When

I talked to him earlier, he sounded completely fine. He sounded a lot

better. He said, `I'm sorry, the medication is just really making me

crazy.'"The pair had recently decided to take some time off

because of Moynagh's bipolar disorder. He was starting new medication

and they were fighting."He just needed some time to sort things out," she said. "I just can't believe this is really happening."As news began to spread yesterday afternoon, friends expressed shock and sadness."He had some problems, but he seemed totally fine," said Cousins, who saw Moynagh last week.Childhood friend Josh Thomson said Moynagh a great guy who liked to make people laugh."We

were just watching the news and saw that. I can't believe it." said

Thomson, who grew up on the same street as Moynagh in son. "He was

very funny. A little off the wall, you know."Silvestre said she

hopes people remember Moynagh for the way he was when he was well: The

guy with the dry sense of humour. The guy who loved rap music and

Formula 1 racing. And the guy who always found time to be there for his

friends.

[Guest guest]

(I added the highlights.)http://www.thestar.com/article/557233Man slain by police had history of mental illness

Dec 22, 2008 04:30 AM

Robyn Doolittle

Staff Reporter

Gregg

Moynagh, the Mississauga man shot dead by police yesterday morning

outside his father's apartment, was bipolar and had battled mental

illness for years.This weekend, he began taking new medication. Friends were hopeful he'd get better. Then yesterday, the 25-year-old snapped."He

had been screaming earlier," said Affan, who lives across the hall and

didn't want to give his full name. "His door was shut and so was mine,

but I could hear him clearly. "When the police arrived they

told him to come out. He wouldn't. The next thing I heard was police

saying, `Lay down the knives.' Then there were two gunshots."According

to investigators, a 911 call to Peel police about 1 a.m. yesterday

reported that a distraught male was yelling and throwing things off a

fifth-floor balcony. Four officers arrived at the building on Helene St. N., near Lakeshore Rd. and Hurontario St. in Port Credit. Moynagh

was shot in the hallway, steps from the stairwell, after allegedly

lunging at police officers. Investigators recovered two knives at the

scene. The province's Special Investigations Unit, which probes

all cases of serious injury or death involving police, is

investigating. The SIU has designated four officers – one subject officer and three witness officers.SIU spokesperson Yoannou said no one else was in the apartment at the time. Burry, a friend who bumped into Moynagh on Thursday, said he talked of police and a disturbance."It's

so strange now. He was telling me – as if it had already happened – how

he was throwing things off the balcony, then when he threw stuff off

the cops had apparently come. "I can't remember if it was a

knife or something that he had and the cops were going to shoot him,

but he dropped it and they left," said the 28-year-old. Moynagh planned to pick up some new medication that night, Burry remembers him saying."He's

a really nice guy. Really funny too. It's sad. He definitely didn't

deserve this," said Burry. "He helped people. He's helped me through

stuff."Yoannou said he could not comment on any incidents that

may have occurred before yesterday's shooting because the case is under

investigation, but several neighbours contacted by the Star don't recall anything unusual from last week.Moynagh

typically lived with his mother in son, about 10 minutes west

along Lakeshore Rd. But sometimes, when his father would go away on

business, he'd stay at his home to get some space, said his on-again,

off-again girlfriend, Brittani Silvestre.Yesterday was

Silvestre's 19th birthday. The couple had been fighting, but Moynagh

called her about 12:30 a.m. to let her know he'd got her a birthday

card and wanted to meet. She was out at a dance club with friends

celebrating, but agreed to meet around 1 a.m. not far from his father's

home."Then he just didn't show up and I didn't see why. I thought he was just being a jerk," Silvestre said through gasping sobs. "When

I talked to him earlier, he sounded completely fine. He sounded a lot

better. He said, `I'm sorry, the medication is just really making me

crazy.'"The pair had recently decided to take some time off

because of Moynagh's bipolar disorder. He was starting new medication

and they were fighting."He just needed some time to sort things out," she said. "I just can't believe this is really happening."As news began to spread yesterday afternoon, friends expressed shock and sadness."He had some problems, but he seemed totally fine," said Cousins, who saw Moynagh last week.Childhood friend Josh Thomson said Moynagh a great guy who liked to make people laugh."We

were just watching the news and saw that. I can't believe it." said

Thomson, who grew up on the same street as Moynagh in son. "He was

very funny. A little off the wall, you know."Silvestre said she

hopes people remember Moynagh for the way he was when he was well: The

guy with the dry sense of humour. The guy who loved rap music and

Formula 1 racing. And the guy who always found time to be there for his

friends.

[Guest guest]

(I added the highlights.)http://www.thestar.com/article/557233Man slain by police had history of mental illness

Dec 22, 2008 04:30 AM

Robyn Doolittle

Staff Reporter

Gregg

Moynagh, the Mississauga man shot dead by police yesterday morning

outside his father's apartment, was bipolar and had battled mental

illness for years.This weekend, he began taking new medication. Friends were hopeful he'd get better. Then yesterday, the 25-year-old snapped."He

had been screaming earlier," said Affan, who lives across the hall and

didn't want to give his full name. "His door was shut and so was mine,

but I could hear him clearly. "When the police arrived they

told him to come out. He wouldn't. The next thing I heard was police

saying, `Lay down the knives.' Then there were two gunshots."According

to investigators, a 911 call to Peel police about 1 a.m. yesterday

reported that a distraught male was yelling and throwing things off a

fifth-floor balcony. Four officers arrived at the building on Helene St. N., near Lakeshore Rd. and Hurontario St. in Port Credit. Moynagh

was shot in the hallway, steps from the stairwell, after allegedly

lunging at police officers. Investigators recovered two knives at the

scene. The province's Special Investigations Unit, which probes

all cases of serious injury or death involving police, is

investigating. The SIU has designated four officers – one subject officer and three witness officers.SIU spokesperson Yoannou said no one else was in the apartment at the time. Burry, a friend who bumped into Moynagh on Thursday, said he talked of police and a disturbance."It's

so strange now. He was telling me – as if it had already happened – how

he was throwing things off the balcony, then when he threw stuff off

the cops had apparently come. "I can't remember if it was a

knife or something that he had and the cops were going to shoot him,

but he dropped it and they left," said the 28-year-old. Moynagh planned to pick up some new medication that night, Burry remembers him saying."He's

a really nice guy. Really funny too. It's sad. He definitely didn't

deserve this," said Burry. "He helped people. He's helped me through

stuff."Yoannou said he could not comment on any incidents that

may have occurred before yesterday's shooting because the case is under

investigation, but several neighbours contacted by the Star don't recall anything unusual from last week.Moynagh

typically lived with his mother in son, about 10 minutes west

along Lakeshore Rd. But sometimes, when his father would go away on

business, he'd stay at his home to get some space, said his on-again,

off-again girlfriend, Brittani Silvestre.Yesterday was

Silvestre's 19th birthday. The couple had been fighting, but Moynagh

called her about 12:30 a.m. to let her know he'd got her a birthday

card and wanted to meet. She was out at a dance club with friends

celebrating, but agreed to meet around 1 a.m. not far from his father's

home."Then he just didn't show up and I didn't see why. I thought he was just being a jerk," Silvestre said through gasping sobs. "When

I talked to him earlier, he sounded completely fine. He sounded a lot

better. He said, `I'm sorry, the medication is just really making me

crazy.'"The pair had recently decided to take some time off

because of Moynagh's bipolar disorder. He was starting new medication

and they were fighting."He just needed some time to sort things out," she said. "I just can't believe this is really happening."As news began to spread yesterday afternoon, friends expressed shock and sadness."He had some problems, but he seemed totally fine," said Cousins, who saw Moynagh last week.Childhood friend Josh Thomson said Moynagh a great guy who liked to make people laugh."We

were just watching the news and saw that. I can't believe it." said

Thomson, who grew up on the same street as Moynagh in son. "He was

very funny. A little off the wall, you know."Silvestre said she

hopes people remember Moynagh for the way he was when he was well: The

guy with the dry sense of humour. The guy who loved rap music and

Formula 1 racing. And the guy who always found time to be there for his

friends.