Coroners inquest examines video of police shooting in Windsor

The jury in a coroner's inquest looking into the shooting death of a Windsor man during a confrontation with police has been given a chance to view video of the incident.

On March 21, 2018, Matthew Mahoney was shot and killed following a confrontation with police in the Dufferin Place alley, behind the McDonalds at Goyeau Street and Wyandotte Street in Windsor.

Officers had been called for a report of a man carrying a butcher block with knives. Police asked him to stop but he attacked the officers instead. Police tasered the man, but it didn't stop him and then shots were fired.

The five-person jury was shown two different angles of the incident captured by security cameras on two nearby businesses, one on Wyandotte Street and another on Tuscarora Street.

The videos show Mahoney walking through a parking lot as officers arrive on the scene. As the officers exit their cruiser to engage with the 33-year-old, he starts to head toward the McDonald's parking lot before turning back to rush at one of the officers.

One officer can be seen retreating before stumbling to the ground after coming into contact with a nearby curb as he walked backward away from Mahoney.

It's then that the officers drew their service weapons and opened fire.

Immediate medical care was provided to Mahoney at the scene, who was then rushed to the hospital where he died of multiple gunshot wounds.

Two Windsor police officers suffered non-life threatening injuries during the incident including the officer who fell, who was slashed by a knife.

Forensic investigator Hank Thorne, one of the investigators with Ontario's Special Investigations Unit, testified that the taser that was discharged at Mahoney failed to make a proper connection to be fully effective. 

While stating he's not an expert when it comes to the use of conductive energy weapons, Thorne told the inquest that it appears one of the prongs ended up on the ground while the other made it into Mahoney's clothing, but neither made contact with the skin to make it effective.

Ontario's Special Investigations Unit cleared police of any wrongdoing in the case, concluding the shots that were fired by the officers, which struck and killed Mahoney, 'were justified'.

The inquest into the death of Matthew Mahoney will hear from 18 witnesses and is expected to last ten days.

Once all parties with standing have the opportunity to present their information and ask questions of the witnesses, the five-person jury may make recommendations aimed at preventing future deaths from occurring in similar circumstances.