Mourners at funeral for teen killed by police told time for love

MOURNERS at the Bible Way Temple, Lady Young Road, Morvant were told now is the time for love as they paid their final respects to 17-year-old Leonardo “Naldo” Williams, the last of three killed by police on July 2 to be buried.

Williams’ godfather Stephen Williams, not the former police commissioner, told the packed church that while they are hurting, now is the time to express love.

“Let us spread love. Let us let love come out of this, not hate. I know we have hurting feelings and so on, but let us love.”

Others who spoke of Williams all described him as a fun-loving, friendly and warm-hearted person. His sister Lilly said she planned to make her brother and best friend proud of the person she becomes.

“My brother was the most forward-thinking person I know. He had a real ambition. No words could really explain how I am feeling right now, but I don't want to talk about how he died but how he lived.”

Williams, along with his friends Isaiah Roberts, 17, and Fabien Richards, 21, were killed by police on July 2. The three were among six in a car and were shot at after police claimed they were fired upon first and had to return fire.

Like his friend Richards, Williams' body was taken to his home in Beetham Gardens prior to the ceremony. His neighbour Roselyn Cain said she knew Williams growing up and he was never disrespectful to her in any way.

“We have to try to watch our young ones because let me tell you something, it's the good ones that go. We as a community have to look after the children. People like to think we can't tell children what to do. It takes a community to raise a child. So let us get together and raise our children.”

Bishop Curtis Paul, like the other ministers at the funerals for Roberts and Richards, stressed the importance of using one’s time wisely.

On Monday Bishop Patrick Denoon of the St John’s Spiritual and Love Baptist Church, at Richards’ funeral, borrowed from Pastor Wayne Baptiste, who officiated at Roberts’ funeral three days earlier. The common thread in all sermons was about not wasting time.

Paul said: “I want to say that death is no respecter of any person. Naldo was a young man, who had dreams, who had only now started living and death came, so even for you it will come. So please make sure you are ready for when it comes.”

He told the congregation each of them had a purpose and they should not settle for anything less than learning what that person is and fulfilling it. Paul urged the congregation to be conscious of what they are doing with their lives and to take full advantage of education, just as Williams intended, by enrolling in the Civilian Conservation Corps.

At the end of the service, gospel artiste Jaron Nurse sang his hit Fed Up, which speaks to gunmen turning away from a life of crime to a life of Jesus Christ. He told those gathered that he met Williams and other friends once and had a conversation with them about living a life pleasurable to God.