Families share anger in court after fatal Metro Transit bus shooting
Families share anger in court after fatal bus shooting in Minneapolis
Families shared their anger in court after a bus shooting last week left one man dead and another injured. Both the family of the suspect and the victim said they feel the system failed them.
(FOX 9) - Two families shared their anger in court Monday after a man opened fire on a Metro Transit bus last week, killing one man and injuring another.
The family of Tommie McCoy, who was killed, says the system failed them. The suspect’s family said they feel the same way.
McCoy’s sister, Bonnie Martin, questioned why a gunman ruled mentally ill just a few months ago wasn’t in a secured facility last week when he allegedly opened fire on a Metro Transit C-line bus.
“Why was he still on these streets? If he was supposed to be committed somewhere, why was he still here?”
The defendant, Malcolm Lessley, is now charged with second degree murder and attempted murder.
“This is hard. I’m his mother. I just want to apologize; I feel pain for the victims,” said Geraldine Nabors, Lessley’s mother.
A large contingent of Lessley’s family also showed up, hurting in their own way.
According to court filings, the 26-year old was diagnosed with unspecified schizophrenia and other psychotic disorder, with his mental illness leading to “grossly disturbed behavior” that poses a “substantial likelihood of causing physical harm.”
A 2019 case where Malcolm allegedly pointed a gun at the head of a taxi driver was put on hold after the court found him incompetent to continue with the legal proceedings.
His mom and sister believe Malcolm subsequently fell through the cracks when he most needed the system to provide a safety net.
“Mental illness played a big part in this,” said Brittany Lessley, the defendant’s sister. “A lot of people are not aware of mental illness. Mental illness needs to be taken more seriously than what it is. I feel the system failed my brother big time.”
The Department of Human Services confirms that Malcolm Lessley was civilly committed to the Commissioner of Human Services, but was never treated at a DHS facility. The agency explains that most civilly committed individuals receive treatment in community settings, not DHS facilities. Last year, there were more than 3,000 civil commitments. It is estimated 20 percent or fewer were treated in a DHS facility.