My son was drunk when the police killed him, says grieving father

WESTERN BUREAU:

Eric Samuels, the father of 24-year-old Avado ‘Pew Pew’ Samuels, who was shot and killed during a police operation in Mount Pleasant, Hanover, early Sunday morning, said his son was intoxicated and was not posing a threat to the police when he met his demise.

“A little bit before that mi and him a talk about how him a drink up nuff rum, and mi tell him fi go easy pon the rum. I never know that him was walking straight to his death on Sunday,” a grieving Samuels told The Gleaner.”

“Is a man who love him rum. Him nuh really have no manners sometimes, but him is not a troublemaker and him don’t trouble people. All him love is him rum,” added the father.

Residents of Mount Pleasant staged a demonstration in Lucea on Tuesday, demanding justice for the deceased man, who they claimed was killed in cold blood by a police officer with whom he was exchanging harsh words.

When the The Gleaner contacted the Lucea police for a response to the shooting, their comment was that the matter is being investigated by both the Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM) and the police.

Samuels, who also participated in the demonstration on Tuesday, said that about 4:30 a.m. Sunday, people at a wake were packing up the sound system that was used when the police arrived and ordered everybody to go home. ‘Pew Pew’ got into an argument with one of the police officers, which turned physical.

“They got involved in a physical confrontation, which led to my son being beaten in the face, and then shot,” said the father, “We won’t stop demonstrating until we get justice.”

The deceased man’s elder sister, Michelle Samuels, who revealed that she was more like a mother than a sister to him, said his only fault of note was his rum-drinking habit.

“He is not a bad person, but when him drink two little drink him will mek noise ... but him not harmful,” she said, “A me grow him. Mi mother leave from him a three (years old), mi father and mi little sister tek care of him until mi tek him over. Mi grow him just like a fi mi him; everybody think seh a mi son.”

Errol Chattoo, the director of complaints at INDECOM’s Western Office, told The Gleaner that they are investigating the shooting, and are asking people with information that can assist in their investigation to contact them.

“We have also taken possession of the firearms used by the officers in the incident and they have been sent off to Kingston for ballistic testing,” Chattoo said.