Mom: I’ll leave it to God

Cathleena Bravo wept bitterly for her 25-year-old son, Shakeel Charles, who was shot dead by police at their Blackford Street, Cantaro Village, Santa Cruz home.

Charles’s shooting provoked the ire of the community which saw the road blocked and items set on fire on Sunday.

A release from the police said Charles was wanted for various firearm-related offences and he was shot and killed by police after he reportedly pointed a gun at officers who were executing a search warrant early on Sunday.

The release said at 3 am, a party of officers from the North Eastern Division Task Force went to Charles’s home. It said Charles was a known offender with a history of violence, as well as had 11 charges for narcotics and firearm related offences. There was a warrant for Charles’s arrest for other firearm-related offences, it said.

“The police had a warrant to search the premises, located at Blackford Street, Santa Cruz, for arms and ammunition. Upon arrival, two officers proceeded to the back of the premises to the area occupied by Charles.

“Upon hearing a noise at the door, the suspect was seen near a toilet area holding a firearm in his right hand. The officers identified themselves as police officers and ordered the suspect to drop the gun. Charles pointed the gun in the direction of the officers, who on seeing the imminent threat to his life, and in keeping with the TTPS use of force policy, discharged four rounds of nine-millimetre ammunition from a service PM5 causing injury to the suspect.”

It said Charles was taken to the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex (EWMSC) where he was pronounced dead on arrival. The release added that the police took Charles’s gun - a Glock pistol fitted with a magazine. Crime Scene Unit officers processed and photographed the scene and ASP Pariman is continuing enquiries, it said. However, Bravo said she, her son, and others were liming last night deciding what to eat.

“Because he love to eat...he like to eat late...he like plenty snacks.”

She said Charles decided he wanted pack soup and sent someone to buy it. Bravo said the pack soup was made for him and he came in and took a bowl to go eat the soup.

She said Charles opened the door to go to the toilet and as he opened the door she heard the gunshots.

“As he cracked the door, I heard them say, ‘Give me the gun.’”

“And the shot fire off and I jump off the bed and when I watch I see him on the back and he saying, ‘I ain’t have no gun. I ain’t have no gun.” She said Charles was in boxers and had his hands up.

She said he repeated again that he did not have a gun and then she heard another shot and saw him slump down.

“And I ain’t hear him again. Then he said, ‘Oh Gosh, I ain’t have no gun.’ And that is the time he get the shot and he slump.

“I said, ‘Yuh ain’t hear he say he ain’t have no gun.’ And then they let go a next shot and then they said move and I just went back inside.”

Bravo said when she went outside she saw the blood stains where her son had been dragged.

She said while her son was no saint she saw a difference in him.

Bravo said her son had been receiving death threats.

“He said, ‘Ma, all I want to do is live and make you happy, yuh know. Me ain’t have no time to war. All them fellas want to war. Me ain’t have time for that. All I want to do is make a little money.’”

When Newsday visited, residents lit a fire in front of a popular bar with several police officers around.

At Charles’s home, neighbours alleged he was executed and others told the media that Charles had not had a run-in with the law for more than a year. Asked if she intended to go to the Police Complaints Authority, Bravo said she was leaving it in God’s hands.

“I recognise you don’t get justice at all no matter what. They always say the guys open fire and not an officer could get shoot…”

Bravo said she found it was a real unjust situation and she is letting God have his way. “I believe in God and I does always talk with my son...That is my last son and I don’t encourage no children in no thing.

“Sometimes, we parents might be the last to know in situations but everybody know him, who around, how he is. And he loved people around.” Bravo said she was asking God to do his will and have his way over the situation.

A relative who wished not to be identified said while Charles was known to the police, he was trying to turn his life around.

“Doesn’t everybody deserve a second chance?” he asked.

In 2020, there were 55 police-involved killings.