JUSTICE OR BLOOD

JUSTICE! This is what the residents of Big Yard Carenage want following the deaths of three of their neighbours and the wounding of three others in a police-involved shooting.

For some, that justice is the death of police, an eye for an eye. For others, particularly the relatives of Naomi Nelson, the 14-year-old aspiring hairdresser who was killed on her way to purchase food. While speaking with Naomi’s relatives, angry residents threatened to continue their protest along the Western Main Road, Carenage.

“The police coming to kill because they realise people here is livers not gizzard. Nobody can’t kill nobody here. Men going and take that to a different level of evil just like them (police).” one angry resident shouted as Sunday Newsday sat down with Naomi’s great-grandmother, Olive Clarke, 80, outside the family’s home.

Clarke, eyes bloodshot, said: “Every Friday I give them $100. This morning she would have told me, ‘Granny cook a soup eh, with only pigtail.’ “She liked the police. She in the police youth club. The police and them didn’t do a good thing. They want to come and blame.

“Nobody here in this lil’ village here is killers. That is not a good deal. My granddaughter ain’t deserve to dead.”

While she spoke, possibly triggered by her words, another resident shouted: “Today or tomorrow if I have little children and that happened to them I bomb down the whole police force.

“If I have to go Venezuela personal for a rocket launcher, I will do it personally and bomb down all them police station to make sure I get justice too. I don’t care who family dead I will bomb it down.”

Naomi, 14, Keron Eve, 30, and Kareem Roberts, 27, were all killed by police in an alleged shootout. The alleged gunman was shot and is warded at hospital. Residents told Sunday Newsday that the trio killed were all innocent and police opened fire on them without warning or being attacked. Police said six people were shot and three died after a man opened fire on them around 7.30 on Friday night. They said they returned fire, hitting the shooter and five others. One officer was shot in the crossfire. The killings caused fiery protest by residents causing Western Division police, with support from the Inter-Agency Task Force, Guard and Emergency Branch, Emergency Response Patrol and the Defence Force to respond.

One of the three men injured by police is said to be the godson of the Prime Minister. Residents said Jerome Sydney was shot once in the back while on his way home. Residents and relatives said he was Dr Rowley’s godson and, given his connection to the head of the National Security Council, they expect the shooting would be thoroughly investigated.

In a media release by the police yesterday, the public was told that the investigation was ongoing and that police were continuously under attack. It said two guns were recovered.

“Police officers will continue to be trained in the minimum use of force policy; they are also trained to return fire, if fired upon. The TTPS expresses condolences for the lives lost following the incident.

“Counselling will be provided for victims and families of persons involved, as well as police officers, through the Victim and Witness Support Unit and the Employee Assistance Programme of the TTPS. The Commissioner of Police gives members of the public all assurances that this matter will be thoroughly and fairly investigated,” the release said.

I wanted to change my mind

Naomi’s father David Nelson said he turned 41 one day before his daughter was killed. He said he had just sent his first born child to get something to eat at the food court at Glencoe.

In a futile attempt to hold back tears, Nelson’s voice cracked as he recalled his last conversation with his daughter: “The last thing I tell her was go before I change my mind. Go before I change my mind.”

He added: “I hear the shots and I run out because I know they just leave. I see the police, well they say is police, it was an unmarked car. She hear the shots and told the rest of them run. It was four of them going, she was the oldest and the biggest. She was shot in the head. I saw her body.”

Nelson’s grandmother remembered her grandson crying after holding his daughter’s lifeless body. She said he told her: “Granny! Granny! I pick up my daughter dead. She bleeding all over.”

Nelson said he had no resentment towards the police and all he wanted was for those responsible for her death to be held accountable.

Naomi, a form two student of Mucurapo East was also a dancer and took part in Best Village according to her Facebook page.

Nelson said while he calmed the residents on Friday night, he expected harsh reactions as his daughter was well loved and the residents were angry.

He was an angel

Just the mention of Eve’s name saw Clarke perk up. “Keron!” she exclaimed “That boy was an angel boy. He took care of his grandfather.”

Eve’s grandfather Clearance Eve, told Sunday Newsday his grandson was the fourth of 20. He added that two of his grandsons were shot, the other, Christian “Freddie” Eve is warded at hospital. “He did everything for his grandfather,” Clearance, who is partially blind, said. He said his grandson was ambitious and wanted to remodel the family’s home and was an excellent tradesman. Eve lived with his grandfather since his father died and mother lived abroad.

Carenage resident Christopher Calder said he was not from Big Yard but worked with Eve in constructing the Carenage fish market, while his daughter was friends with Naomi. He added that the last time he saw Naomi, she was at the corner of the Western Main Road and Big Yard awaiting transportation to get to school. Eve, he said, was not involved in any form of criminal activity and was a hard worker.

Calder said, “What is it that is going on in the country? Rowley say he will solve the problem. He is the MP for this constituency. They killing you on the boardwalk, on the walk board, everywhere and what happened? He is not staying as the Prime Minister!”

Rowley: If culpable, officers will pay the price

Rowley visited the area yesterday morning and met with relatives of those killed.

Speaking to Rowley yesterday was Kevon James, whose mother Bernadette James, a policewoman, was killed during a police training exercise in 1987. James said he if no action was taken then residents would be forced to take action themselves. He said that after his mother’s death he remained calm but he could not do the same for his cousin Naomi.

Rowley admonished James and others to allow the process of law and order to continue.

“The first next step is a thorough investigation,” Rowley said adding that all witnesses should come forward and give their statements. He said there were ways to deal with the situation and if, after the investigation, the officers involved were deemed culpable, they would have to pay the price.

Rowley urged James and other to allow the investigation to be completed. While he spoke to James, residents threatened to withhold their votes from the People’s National Movement (PNM) in the Diego Martin West constituency. They said while they wanted the PNM to win the election, the Diego Martin West seat could be lost.