Eudes Pierre's Family Reflects After Crown Heights Street Naming

CROWN HEIGHTS, BROOKLYN — Sheina Banatte says that last week's street dedication was not just for her cousin, Eudes Pierre — a 26-year-old who was shot and killed by police during a mental health episode in late 2021 — but for all of the families whose loved ones died during mental health episodes involving police officers.

"We're glad that the street sign is up and we could see it and remember Eudes, but we wanted to also represent the 25 other people that we know that met their demise in the same way," Sheina said, "because we feel like we're carrying all of them with us now, along with Eudes."

At the street naming ceremony on Eastern Parkway and Utica, where Pierre was shot right by his home, family members stood with elected officials, including Crystal Hudson whose office helped usher the street naming.

The event also had the family announce a civil lawsuit against the officers who shot Pierre, as well as their continued efforts to change the law to help prevent this from happening to future families.

For the family, Sheina explained along with her twin sister, Sharlee Banatte, both 36, it's about justice for what happened to their cousin and also to make a difference for those in his situation in the future.

Two years before his death, Pierre was diagnosed with bipolar disorder after a first suicide attempt, according to a website dedicated to him.

His tragic death began with him calling 911 and ended with two NYPD officer firing 10 bullets at him as he held a small kitchen knife outside a subway station.

Police called the death "suicide by cop," but the family pushed back on the narrative, saying that police aren't well-equipped to deal with situations involving people having mental health episodes.

"The first step was to make sure that people know who Eudes really was so he wasn't defined by how he [died]," Sheina said, "so that's why we always say our first phase was upholding his legacy, and then the second phase was Eudes Pierre Way and now the third phase: the law."

The law, first conceived in a petition to City Council started by Herbert Dubique, is called the "Eudes Pierre Law" and would require 911 operators to ask if the individual is having a mental health crisis. Mental health specialists would then respond to the call as needed and behave as the first responders, with EMS workers, and police as a last resort.

A law like this, Pierre's family says, could have saved his life.

"Eudes was a selfless guy — if he had his last dollar, he would give it to you," Sharlee said, "if it was raining, he would give you his sweatshirt. That's just the kind of guy he was."

"He just really wanted everyone to succeed to be their true authentic self," Sharlee said.

Sheina said preserving her cousin's memory is important, because she says these tragic moments shouldn't define someone's life.

"The way he was killed is so far from the person he was," she said.

"He was such a people person and always supported everyone," Sheina said, "we feel like he's still doing that now by making sure that hopefully, this doesn't happen to anyone else again."