The police will answer questions from the press today, following the killing of a civilian; which sent the country into anger.
On Wednesday, the Cabinet was briefed by members of the Police high command on the circumstances involving the pursuit of a civilian that ended in the death of 45-year-old Mannie James of Bendals.
The Cabinet has invited a spokesman, selected by the Commissioner of Police, to address the media on the matter today at 9 a.m
In a press statement a day after the tragic incident, lawmen said around 9 pm on Monday, 31st July, the police and members of the Antigua and Barbuda Defence Force were in the area of Lauchland Benjamin Drive, conducting a joint stop-and-search operation.
While on the scene, they claimed a vehicle was spotted with three occupants inside “acting suspiciously”
The cops say they signaled the driver to stop; however, the vehicle turned around and sped away from the scene. A pursuit immediately ensued.
In their statement, the police claimed further that during the chase, several shots were fired at the police vehicle and the police returned fire.
It was further reported that two occupants alighted from the said vehicle and escaped on foot; one in the Otto’s area, and the other at Gray Hill. The chase ended at Grays Farm when the driver abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot.
The officers continue pursuing the assailant according to their claims and he [Mannie] was subsequently apprehended with what appeared to be a gunshot wound to his body.
He was transported to the Sir Lester Bird Medical Center and was later pronounced dead.
But eyewitnesses say James appeared to be unarmed as the shots were fired at his retreating back
Residents described Mannie as peaceful and hardworking; a man who toiled seven days a week to provide for his partner and their son and daughter.
A video widely circulated on social media shows a man being chased by uniformed officers. Another shows the man on the ground as officers appear to attempt to handcuff him. A third shows him unresponsive, being dragged along the ground, before being thrown unceremoniously into the open bed of a police pick-up.
James, a father of two, was in a longtime relationship with Mariesa Hixon who told reporters that she heard the commission on that dreadful night, “running inside her house in terror as the shots rang out”
Up until yesterday, Mannie’s children were not told that their father had died, although they witness the incident.
Meanwhile, the Police administration say they are saddened by the unfortunate outcome of the incident and expressed sympathy to the victim’s family.
The Commissioner of Police, Mr. Atlee Rodney appealed to the general public to continue cooperating with the police in the lawful execution of their duties, especially during these stop-and-search operations.
What area the gun fired was opened on the police? The area need to be chrome for bullet shells for evidence. What did Mannie had in the vehicle that he didn’t obey the police officers when he was asked to stopped? Who are the other two men in the vehicle with Mannie? Mannie knows that he has two children why didn’t he think of his children and go through the stop and search operation?? The police were doing the stop and searches to make Antigua safe. Mannie, I am sorry that you have lost your life due to disobedience and ignorance. I hope we all have learned from this, when police says stop your vehicle during a stop-and-search operation, please stop to avoid another incident like this. The officers were wrong to shot him in his back, they should have shoot him in the leg. Since it was ABDF personnel (who are trained to take our an object) that alleged fired the shot that took Mannie life.