JERSEY CITY, N.J. (PIX11) -- So many unanswered questions in the shooting death of a Jersey City man with mental illness.

His family said they called the Jersey City Medical Center Crisis Center for help and instead police arrived and the 52-year-old man was killed.

“If you ask anyone who Andrew Jerome Washington is, they’ll tell you he’s a funny good person,” Lisa Mendez, Washington’s aunt, told PIX11 News. “The only thing was that he had an illness."

Andrew Jerome Washington had been treated for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder for decades, according to his two aunts.

They said he had been acting strangely the last few days, talking loudly to himself and banging on the apartment walls. The family said they believed he was off his medication and would harm himself, and that’s why, they said, at 3 p.m. Sunday, they called the Jersey City Medical Center Crisis Center for help.

Instead, several police officers arrived at 356 Randolph Ave. 

“You’re going into his apartment please; if you have to use anything, please use a pellet gun,” Mendez told PIX11. "Please do not shoot Drew. Then I heard this pow, pow, pow, and I thought, oh my god, they shot him.”

They said police fired two shots using real bullets. Family members said he died after surgery at Jersey City Medical Center.

“I don’t understand it because we called the crisis center for help,” Doris Ervin, another aunt, told PIX11 close to tears.

Family members said police arrived at Washington’s home on Saturday after family members called the crisis center for help. They said Washington stayed outside on his stoop and refused to go with the police, so they left. Family members said Washington has had a long history with the Jersey City Medical Center Crisis Center and Jersey City Police. He was shot in the arm by police in 2011 when they said he was refusing medical help. 

“I think the crisis center should’ve done a better job. The police should’ve done a better job. They should’ve had more compassion,” Mendez, the aunt, said.

The New Jersey State Office of the Attorney General is investigating and issued this preliminary statement: 

According to the preliminary investigation, at approximately 2:28 p.m. today, police officers from the Jersey City Police Department responded to a home on Randolph Avenue in the area of Bramhall Avenue, after emergency medical services personnel requested the assistance of police.

One Jersey City police officer fired his service weapon and a male civilian was struck. The injured man was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced deceased at approximately 4:47 p.m.

New Jersey State Office of the Attorney General

Washington’s sister Courtnie, gave this statement to PIX11 from where she lives in California. 

“Drew was one of the most incredible and charismatic human beings I’ve ever known and loved. Everyone who knew him loved him. He was so passionate, loving and wise. He taught me how to be grateful for every experience. Bipolar disorder changed all of our lives and when he was diagnosed over 20 years ago the most amazing thing was it never changed his heart, his love, or his light. My mother and I never imagined we’d be in this position where her son and my brother could be in his own home and be killed by the people who are supposed to serve and protect us. We will never be the same and pray we are given answers and the hospital and police take accountability for not providing the care he deserved and for killing a man in his own home while his family begged them to not hurt him. Our family was there. Our family told them he was not a danger to the police. He has a well documented history of mental illness. I spoke to the police just yesterday and asked them to please take him into the crisis center for evaluation and a day later he’s just gone. This shouldn’t have happened. I’m not sure I have fully accepted this and I can’t imagine this life without him. Thank you for caring enough to tell this story.“

Courtnie Washington