The family of Marcus Meade, who was shot and killed by police on Christmas Eve while thought to be having a mental health crisis, have said officers showed “no mercy for him”, as they called for “full accountability” of those involved.
Meade, 39, was killed while alone in his home in Redditch on 24 December after a five-hour standoff with West Mercia police officers, and was allegedly in possession of a knife.
His family said Meade’s mental health had deteriorated in recent years, and he had a history of self-harm. They said he often suffered a mental health crisis around Christmas time and he had had previous contact with the police because of this.
“They had no mercy for the kid,” said his father, Anthony Meade. “They knew of him; he was familiar to them. They’ve dealt with him before. But they don’t normally send people with guns to him.
“Why didn’t the police call someone who knew how to deal with mental health problems? Why would they send armed police officers? Why would they decide to use a bullet for someone who’s got a mental health problem?”
They said Meade, a father of two, had become “tormented” after he apprehended a man who killed a 16-year-old girl in a random attack while she was sunbathing in Birmingham city centre in 2001, for which he won an award for bravery.
“He caught the killer and they made him a hero, but they didn’t help him with the problems of seeing this girl die,” said his father. “That tormented his mind, and he kind of stopped trusting people. He just lost faith in everyone.
“He started losing friends and turning his back on people and becoming a bit of a loner.”
More than 100 family members, friends and neighbours attended a vigil outside Meade’s home on Tuesday evening to pay tribute, light candles, say prayers and demand justice.
One of Meade’s four brothers, Gary, told the crowd: “When I found out what happened, my world ended instantly. I was just so distressed and I couldn’t believe it. I just refused to believe what happened, that the police were capable of doing this to one of my brothers.”
Bishop Desmond Jaddoo, the family’s spokesperson, said they were demanding the immediate suspension of the officer responsible for shooting Meade, as well as a “full and transparent” investigation into what happened.
“We all want to know why they did what they did,” he said. “West Mercia police, they don’t have a good record with black men and mental health.”
He drew comparisons to the case of the former Aston Villa footballer Dalian Atkinson, who was killed by a West Mercia police officer in 2016 while experiencing a mental health crisis.
“After these incidents, you hear a phrase – lessons learned. But clearly there is a problem,” Jaddoo said. “The key explanation we need is, why did they go into [Meade’s] flat? What was the immediate danger? And why did they go into the flat with, out of all the tools the police have available to them, the most lethal? It beggars belief.”
Paramedics attended Meade’s property shortly before 2pm on Christmas Eve after being called by a neighbour, and they in turn called the police. After entering Meade’s flat at about 8pm, officers used distraction devices and at least one Taser before the fatal shot was fired.
Meade’s mother, Deborah Clarke, said his parents “knew nothing” about the incident until after his death, adding: “I want justice done for my son, because he shouldn’t have had to die. I want full accountability. Not just the officers, the people above them as well.”
Clarke said she was angry she and Meade’s father had not been called to the scene during the long standoff, and said the intervention of family members could have helped.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said it was investigating the police strategy and tactics used and the decision-making of officers at the scene.
A West Mercia police spokesperson said: “The IOPC is carrying out an independent investigation and it would therefore not be appropriate for us to comment further while this investigation is ongoing.”
Source: theguardian.com
