Mother mourns ‘painful loss’
Says sons were victims of coldblooded killing by police; lawmen rebuff residents’ claim, contend brothers died in shoot-out
“THIS IS a painful loss,” said Karen Robertson as she described the shooting deaths of her two adult sons, Romaine and Enrique Harvey.
The two men were reportedly shot and killed by lawmen in their Logwood community in Hanover on Tuesday afternoon.
The Hanover Police Division reported that the men were killed in a confrontation with the police and that two guns were also recovered from the scene.
However, Robertson claims that her sons were hard-working men who cared deeply for their family and community.
“Mi pickney dem don’t give any problem. Dem don’t even come outta door. If dem nuh get work, dem nuh come out.”
On Wednesday, angry residents blocked the streets leading into their community to voice their displeasure at what they called “cold-blooded murder”.
The residents alleged that the men were helping to prepare for a nine-night event at approximately 2 p.m. when a group of police officers approached the younger brother, Enrique.
A man, who also told The Gleaner that he had witnessed the incident, alleges that the police walked with Enrique to his home nearby before he was fatally shot inside the board dwelling, beside his bed.
The resident further went on to debunk the police’s report that Enrique attacked the police with a firearm before he was shot.
“How him fi have gun and him not even did have on shirt? He was not wearing any shirt,”the man argued.
At the same time, other residents stated that Romaine was then shot by the police after he heard the gunshots and attempted to run to the aid of his younger brother. He, too, they say, was shirtless during Tuesday’s ordeal.
For Robertson, the deaths of her two sons is “immeasurable”.
However, she shared that her pain tripled after learning that she was unable to identify their bodies.
In addition to that, the grieving mother claims that she has not been contacted by the police to officially share that her children were killed.
The family was also reportedly told that they are unable to see the bodies of the men before an autopsy is carried out as the Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM) has since launched an investigation into their shooting.
“Two of them one time? Dem mother nah go can bear it. Anything wrong with me, dem tek care of dem mother. If mi sick, dem come cook for me,” Robertson recounted..
“All now mi nuh see dem. Dem nuh show me dem. Dem say dem cya show me dem because INDECOM is involved. Nobody nuh call me. Mi hear say the bag wah dem put dem inna nah pull until time for post-mortem,” Robertson bemoaned.
She also stressed that the deaths of her sons was “unjust” and has left a hole in the hearts of people living in their rural community.
“Mi drop dung inna road when mi hear. All when mi go hospital and hear say my pickney deh pon stretcher, mi [cry].”
At the same time, a woman, who told The Gleaner that the deceased men were her cousins, said she has been in shock since hearing the news of their shooting. According to her, the brothers were jovial young adults who were not involved in criminal activities.
“So we frighten when we hear this. Mi nah tell no lie. If mi did hear say wah drive-by gwan and dem get shot, mi wouldn’t feel it suh, but fi know say a the people dem wah fi protect and serve? A dat hurt we,” said the woman, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
“The whole community a mourn. From you come pon Cambleton Road, a bare people a bawl and a not even young people a bawl. This is happening too much, and nothing nah come out of it,” she added.
Attempts at obtaining an official comment up to press time from Acting Head of Area One Police, Senior Superintendent Glenford Miller, proved futile as calls and messages to his phone were not answered.