Senior Reporter
anna-lisa.paul@guardian.co.tt
Residents of Production Drive, Sea Lots, believe they will get justice for the killing of Jonathan Wharwood after the Police Complaints Authority (PCA) visited the area.
The PCA started an independent investigation after Wharwood, a well-loved tradesman, was reportedly killed by cops during a search of a house around 1 am in Sea Lots on Tuesday.
Lawmen reportedly went in search of the suspect(s) allegedly connected with a shooting at St Paul Street, East Dry River, which took place around 8.30 pm on Monday. In this incident, PC Shakala Charles of the Guard & Emergency Branch and a 26-year-old man of North Post Road, Diego Martin, were both injured during an ambush by two gunmen.
Charles remained stable in hospital up to late yesterday while the civilian remained in critical condition. Senior officers claimed the bullet which Charles on his side and did not pierce his bullet proof vest.
In Sea Lots, officers said Wharwood allegedly confronted them with a cutlass during the search in Sea Lots. Residents vehemently denied Wharwood was involved in any criminal activities.
They said, however, they were being harassed by members of the T&T Police Service (TTPS) as they continue to mourn the passing of the father of three. Observing intently as a two-man team from the PCA interviewed relatives and friends about the incident, members of the community continued to call for transparency as the investigation unfolded. One woman said, “I feel good, especially as the PCA come to take down a statement from the people to find out what exactly went down. I feel good, and I believe they will get justice for Jonathan’s death.”
However, she blasted the TTPS for not respecting the area, them, and Wharwood’s memory. She added, “They coming and jumbie the residents. They telling we go inside, and right now, we are in mourning.”
Another woman said, “They come and was writing down names of people in the wake on Tuesday. They even had some of them young men up against the wall.” She questioned, “Why they doing this? We are not interfering with anyone. They kill the man, and now we cyar even grieve in peace?” A third woman lamented, “We loss a good soul in the community.”
A resident living near where Wharwood was killed yesterday complained that the memory card on one of her external CCTV cameras had been removed by officers as they left the area during the wee hours of Tuesday. Climbing atop a chair as she pointed out where it had been removed from, she said the residents were bracing for more inhumane treatment from law enforcement. “They just attacking us just so, just so.”
One man said, “In this community, it is guilty until proven innocent.”
A young man who was present at the time Wharwood was killed recounted that he had been made to kneel and beaten by the officers. He claimed, “They pelt two flashbang in my room. I had now gone to lie down for work in the morning. My room nearly burn down as the curtains catch fire, the wardrobe burned, and I had to flip on the bed to save myself “Is two, three, four, five, six gun-butt they hit meh. They beat me in the face, meh eye swell; is blood clot in the eye and soft tissue damage.”
Complaining he has not been able to go to work since, the traumatised man added, “They tell a man they go kill him in he sleep if he say anything, so I fraid to talk to anybody. That is how they treating Sea Lots people.”