Father of man killed by police claims he was assassinated

THE father of one of two men killed in a police-involved shooting is calling on Police Commissioner Gary Griffith to intervene as he believes his son was assassinated.

Speaking with Newsday at his Bhagaloo Street, Enterprise, Chaguanas home, 57-year-old Ray Ken Raymond said his son Sterling Raymond, a father of two, did not have a gun as the police claimed.

“How they come shooting and they don’t have a gun? That is a lie! I don’t care what they do me, justice must prevail.”

Police said Sterling, 26, and Kevin “Chappy” Edwards, 32, were killed near the Longdenville police post at around noon on Wednesday. They said the men crashed into a police vehicle, came out and opened fire causing the officers to retaliate.

A video posted on social media after the killing showed police removing the men from a Hyundai Tucson SUV and into a marked police vehicle. They were taken to the Chaguanas health facility where they were declared dead on arrival.

“I not putting any water in my mouth. I telling you Mr Gary Griffith, you have bad seeds in your house. They taking work behind your back. The police assassinate my son and I want proper answers.”

Raymond said his son and Edwards were parked in their car minding their business when they were killed. He is calling for a proper investigation.

"Every time the police kill some black boy, they always ‘shoot-out’ with the police.”

Raymond said his son recently sold his vehicle and had over $100,000 cash on him when he was killed. He accused the police of having nefarious motives for wanting his son dead and it involved the cash.

Edwards’ relatives admitted he had criminal charges, but said he was never the type to drive around with guns. They say he used to tell them he never “drove hot” because he did not want to be gunned down by police.

When Newsday visited his mother Pearl Edwards, she said she had nothing to say and only God was in charge.

Sterling’s wife Maurissa Andrews, 25, echoed her father-in-law’s statement that her husband did not have a gun. She said Sterling received a call from Edwards and left. About half an hour later, she received a call about his death.

“They did not have anything (guns) on them when the police started to shoot. The car was not driving when the police come to them. The car was stopped and it was off. I can’t catch myself. Right now my son asking me ‘Where is daddy?’ and I didn’t bring it to him yet because I don’t know how to bring it to him.”

Andrews said her husband did not have any matters before the courts and she cannot understand why he was killed.

“If he was wanted, the (police) could have come home here any time.”