THUGS LAUNCH ASSAULT ON COPS
Residents protest killing of 17-year-old
Anger and frustration gripped the community of Providence Pen Lane in St Andrew as residents took to the streets to voice their opinions about the death of 17-year-old Cee-Jay Lake, aka CJ, who was killed by the police on Monday night.
Things escalated even further last night when thugs fired shots in the area, forcing police to take cover. Motorists travelling along Arthur Wint Drive were also caught in a gridlock as the police tried to remove the frame of a car that was packed with debris and set on fire.
Earlier in the day, a police service vehicle was also damaged with stones, and there were also attempts to firebomb the station.
When THE STAR visited the area yesterday afternoon, things were somewhat calmer, but residents did not mince words.
“Dem kill him (teenager) inna cold blood,” one resident shouted.
Reports are that a shoot-out took place between the 17-year-old and the police, but the residents are rubbishing these claims.
“A one gunshot buss, so mi nuh know how dem a go seh a shootout. Look deh, a bare zinc. If a did shoot-out, yuh woulda see bare bullet holes. Yuh see nuh hole? A one shot buss, and when it buss, mi come out and see the policeman hold on pon him head and a shake,” a resident said.
Lake’s mother, Mia Elleston, could hardly find words to describe how she felt.
“Him did just leave the yard and seh him a go buy a phonecard. Shortly after me hear ‘bow’, and mi run come out come look. When mi come out, mi hear the police seh: ‘Go back in a di yard,’ and me seh no because mi haffi look if a mi son because him just leave out,” she said.
As Elleston fought to hold back the tears, it simply overflowed as her other son got news of the death of his brother, who was set to study engineering at Excelsior Community College.
“Mommy, mommy, mi wah me bredda. Weh mi bredda? Mi wah mi bredda,” he shouted, crying as community members tried to console him.
Described as a humble person, who was willing to listen to adults, community members said that they are puzzled as to why the police would take an innocent life.
“A good yute. The police dem always a tek innocent life and dem nah go after the bad man dem,” one resident said.
“A today him fi go back a school and dem tek him life,” his mother cried.
Residents claim that Lake was killed in cold blood and then treated less than a human being when the deed was done.
“Dem slap out him head back and just drag him body inna di dutty water like a dawg. A him brother did haffi come and tek him up and dem bring him to the hospital,” another resident said.
The Independent Commission of Investigations said that they have received reports of the incident and are doing their investigations.