Family of Montreal man shot by police calling for public inquiry into his death

Answers are what the family of a 38-year-old Montreal man are demanding, after he was shot by police and later died on Sept. 17.

Ronny Kay was shot when he allegedly refused to drop what might have been a weapon. He was said to be in emotional distress at his apartment in Nun’s Island.

“Why, Ronny?” questions his sister, Michelle Kay. “Nobody deserves to be killed by by a police because he was in distress.”

Open Gallery 4 items

Now, his family are calling for a public inquiry into his death, saying law enforcement haven’t shared details about the circumstances of Ronny’s death.

“26 days since the tragedy, we are lacking information about what really happened,” said Michelle. “We are asking questions, we are asking for answers.”

Quebec’s police watchdog, the Bureau des enquêtes indépendantes (BEI), have been tasked with investigating the incident, since it involved a person being injured or killed by police.

Spokesperson Guy Lapointe says they are trying to piece together the moments that led up to the shooting.

“We are in contact with the family, we’ll keep them apprised, but we can’t go into all the fine details because it is a police investigation,” Lapointe said over the phone. “We’re not at the liberty to discuss more because we’re trying to establish the exact sequence of events.”

The initial BEI press release says a call came in to police around 12:30 p.m. on Sept. 17 about a man, possibly in possession of a handgun, walking near the intersection of René Lévesque Boulevard and the rue Berlioz.

Lapointe on Thursday said Ronny’s ex-girlfriend was on the premises at the time of the intervention and he was carrying an imitation gun, not a real firearm.

It’s said that he pointed the imitation weapon in the direction of a police officer, who allegedly fired at least one shot.

Ronny was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead.

“Why is it that a call to 911, will result in the death of our brother, the son of my mother. Why?” asks Michelle. “Why wasn’t there any other alternative use? Why is it that a weapon was used to shoot my brother?”

(Credit: Michelle Kay)

‘Gentleman, polite’

Michelle and her family say there’s a lot they’re going to miss about Ronny.

“When we are together, the small family, the immediate family, we can feel that Ronny is no longer here to help us, to talk to us, to guide us,” she said. “And I can hear my sisters, myself, my mom, we are still crying.”

Michelle says he was a fascinating person, who was self-taught in many subjects.

“It could be for photography, could be learning news, going traveling,” she said. “He had learned so much.”

Ronny had worked as full-time financial advisor for Desjardins, but also helped out in his community and even worked for the Red Cross.

“My brother traveled all around the world, never had an accident, he was so healthy,” Michelle said. “But now, for him to died in his land, in a place that he liked, at the end the hand of the police, it’s just surreal.”

(Credit: Michelle Kay)

A life ‘cut short’

“It’s a human life that was taken away, ad he was so young, 38 years old,” Michelle said. “There’s a lot for him to live, but now it’s cut short.”

The Quebec Coroner’s office says Ronny Kay’s death is the subject of a coroner’s investigation, but that a public inquest is ordered either by the Chief Coroner herself or at the request of the Minister of Public Security.

The lawyer for the family, Virginie Dufresne-Lemire, says they are formally going to request that a public inquiry be launched.

“It’s not a trial, but it looks like a trial and it’s public, and the family can be represented, they can ask questions. They can be a part of the investigation,” said Dufresne-Lemire. “So it’s something that, I see in my practice, that is important for family because they will have to wait for months before having answers.”

The family now wants more dialogue with investigators to know more of what happened that fateful day.

“The communication with the law enforcement, I feel like it’s a little bit lacking,” said Michelle. “How could you just leave the family like this knowing that it’s the police that killed the son, the brother?”