Relatives of man killed by police: ‘He admired policing’

RELATIVES of Kwasi Williams, 23, are demanding answers from the police after he was shot dead by officers on Friday morning.

Kwasi’s uncle Eric Williams, told Sunday Newsday that it is unfortunate that his nephew, who greatly admired police and the work they do, was killed by the same people he held in high regard.

Kwasi was one of two men killed in Morvant on Friday when officers executed search warrants for guns and ammunition. Relatives of Allasfie Huggins, the second man killed by police have since called for an investigation into the shooting.

Eric believes his nephew was killed for no reason and they cannot think of a reason why he would be a person of interest to the police.

Williams said Kwasi planned to join the police service in 2020, but covid19 caused his to put off his plan.

A police report of the incident said Kwasi shot at officers when they went to his home around 4.30 am. He was killed in the exchange.

However, his relatives don’t believe Kwasi was armed.

Eric denied Kwasi was involved in any criminal activity or had criminal history.

“If he was doing something wrong I would be the first to tell him he’s doing something wrong. There was no reason for him to be targeted by the police.

“We just want answers. What happened? He doesn’t live where he was killed. He lives Coconut Drive, Morvant. He was at female friend’s house to spend the night with her. He was targeted and killed. No one is answering my questions, no one is saying what he was involved to justify what happened.

“The family is in the dark we. It’s like he is a stray dog. He was killed, taken away and no one can tell us where he is or what happened. And everybody in the Morvant Police Station telling me that that unit that was involved in the shooting don’t have to answer to nobody.

“Even if you (the police) trying to curb crime, what they trying to do send a message to criminals that ‘we will kill’ without reason and becoming unruly criminals. Then they are asking the public to trust them.

“If police are acting this way, who are we to trust? If that is there way of fighting crime, then we are in trouble.”

Eric will be filing an official complaint to the Police Complaints Authority on Monday.

Another relative told Newsday the killing has left the family in shock. “We have no clue, we just want answers. We will accept if they can prove he was guilty of whatever crime but we will not accept the way this happen, especially when there was no reason for him to be killed this way.”

Kwasi relatives described his as jolly and caring. The relative admitted that he was taken to the Morvant Police Station after police accused him of possession of marijuana but was released the following day.

“I have a son, I treat Kwasi as mine own. If I know he had guns, I would say he died by the gun. I don’t believe he had a gun on him and it’s wrong for the police to be killing people children under suspicion.”