—parents question police account
The parents of Teon Maxwell, the Bare Root man who was fatally shot by the police on Saturday, are calling for justice, since they believe his killing constitutes murder based on the autopsy results.
“They (the police) murder my big son and I just want to know why…he had no criminal record that he rob or he kill anybody or so that they could murder him. It’s something simple that they coulda work out,” his father, Mortimer Maxwell yesterday told Stabroek News.
“That is murder,” his mother, Shellon Moses December said. “If you wanted to calm him down, you coulda give he one bullet or two to save him…it was a domestic problem he had, they (the police) had no right to shoot him so much,” she stated.
Maxwell, 24, a father of one, was shot and killed by the police in the compound of the Vigilance Police Station on Saturday morning, when he attempted to escape in a force vehicle after being taken into custody for threatening to kill his wife.
The police had stated that Maxwell sustained a single gunshot wound and was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival. However, an autopsy performed on Maxwell’s remains on Monday, which showed that he died as a result of shock and haemorrhage due to multiple gunshot injuries, has pushed his parents to believe otherwise.
Mortimer yesterday explained to Stabroek News that he identified his son’s remains prior to the autopsy and upon enquiring from a police officer about the number of gunshot wounds Maxwell’s body bore, he said he was told about six or more. “The officer told me he (Teon) have multiple gun wounds. I ask like how much so and he told me six but when you do check, some pictures we have, you seeing is more than six bullet holes he have in his chest,” the grieving father said.
Divisional Commander Calvin Brutus, had related to reporters that on Saturday, police went to the area to arrest the man after a report of threats were made against him by his reputed wife, Belinda Thomas. The day before, Thomas had lodged a report that Maxwell threatened to kill her with a cutlass and a hammer, however, when police were dispatched to the area, Maxwell escaped.
Brutus explained that the patrol that responded initially could not have addressed the situation, and so called for assistance. Three patrols responded, managing to subdue the man before reportedly taking away a cutlass and hammer.
However, Brutus had conceded that the arresting ranks had not conducted a proper search on Maxwell’s person. The man was escorted to the Vigilance Police Station, where, in the enquiries office, he pulled a knife that was hidden in his waist, and in the commotion that followed, two officers who tried to subdue him were injured.
Following that, Maxwell entered the driver’s seat of a force vehicle that was left unattended, with the engine running, and drove off. However, he crashed into another of the force’s vehicles that was parked closer to the gate.
The incident has raised questions about breaches of the Guyana Police Force’s Standard Operating Procedures.
Maxwell’s parents yesterday said that they no longer believe the police’s account of what transpired, while noting that they sense a cover-up as it relates to what exactly occurred.
He further argued that while the police are claiming that Teon was searched prior to his arrest, December related to him that she saw Teon walk into the police vehicle with all the weapons in his possession. “He muddah seh he (Teon) walk in the vehicle with everything and why they (the police) allow him? They went shooting at him in the yard, why they didn’t try to shoot him in the foot or something since at home before they take him at the station? They just deh shooting at him round and round the place. He deh on the other street, they went shooting,” he related.
“…Down to when they carry him at the station, they say he walk out the station. Shoot him as you see he walking going to the vehicle in his foot or whatever if you wanted to shoot but not to execute him in the way they execute him,” Mortimer added.
Additionally, they said based on information they received from residents in the area, they also searched December’s yard on Monday, where they discovered two spent shells.
“Neighbours saying they (the police) did shooting at he (Teon) since before they arrest he. The police seh they fire a warning shot but when we went home Monday, we search he muddah (December) yard and we find two spent shells,” Mortimer said.
December had explained that last Saturday, Maxwell allegedly assulted Thomas and she encouraged the woman to report the matter to the police.
However, December related that whenever Teon misbehaved, she would make a report at the Vigilance Police Station. “Well he (Teon) had lil issue, normally when he have a lil issue, we does take him there, they (the police) talk to him, give him a lil 72 and they loose him,” she said.
The couple is, therefore, calling for justice and wants the ranks responsible to face the necessary consequences. “I just want justice. He died and leave a four-year-old daughter. I just want something to come out of this story,” Mortimer said.
