Homeless man found dead in shop doorway
Flowers in memory of rough sleeper
Floral tributes have been left after a man was discovered dead in the doorway of a vacant city centre shop at the weekend.
The 36-year-old, believed to be a Polish national who was known to friends as Lucas and Damian, was discovered at the entrance to the former BHS store in Murray Place on Sunday afternoon.
Police were called to the scene at around 1.55pm. A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Enquiries are continuing, however there do not appear to be any suspicious circumstances surrounding the death.”
A report will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal.
It’s understood that the man was homeless and had been sleeping rough at the location for a number of weeks. In recent weeks items, including sleeping bags and pillows, were visible in the doorway.
A friend of the man, who is also homeless, contacted the Observer this week to tell of her sorrow over the death. She says that he was recently hospitalised after he suffered a head injury after a fall and she visited him each day. He was only released from hospital on Tuesday, February 4.
She says that she spoke over the telephone with Stirling Council’s harm reduction team and the man’s social worker and enquired over who held the duty of care following his discharge from Forth Valley Royal Hospital.
The woman said: “The council parking attendants and the street cleaners definitely cared, as did a lot of the ordinary people of the Stirling community and some of the street-type people of Stirling.
“There are so many people in the community who cared for him
“Us street-type people were very upset when he went into hospital, questioning if he’d been attacked as were some of the council enforcement officers aka parking attendants. He hadn’t been. Now he’s dead.
“I was feeling extremely alone until I realised tonight (Sunday) how much this town is hurting over his death like I am. There are flowers, notes and a candle burning in his doorway. Tomorrow I will add my flowers and a note. I have no doubt others will do the same.
“I’m hoping that as a community of housed, semi housed and rough sleepers we can organise between us a service or gathering of those who cared for him.”
Stirling Council confirmed that it was aware of the man’s death.
A spokesperson added: “Given investigations are ongoing, it would be inappropriate to comment further at this sensitive time.”
The council has a statutory duty to provide advice and assistance to any person who applies as homeless and says it takes the responsibility on the issue seriously and will always offer accommodation to anyone who requires it.
And Stirling MSP Bruce Crawford MSP added:“I’m very concerned regarding the sad news of this person’s passing.
“I have since contacted the council’s chief executive to find out more about what support the local authority offers to rough sleepers and what existing policies there are to protect vulnerable people on our streets. I want to know more about what adjustments can be made in future to better look after homeless people/rough sleepers.
“This is a very sad set of circumstances and it’s important that we understand the full facts behind them in order to establish where improvements can be made.”
There are so many people in the community who cared for him Homeless man’s friend