Crooked Tree teen shot dead by police
It is getting to be a familiar story: police confront a suspect, a row ensues and the suspect winds up dead. The police paint a picture of self-defence, while the victim’s family cries out for justice. That was the situation in Crooked Tree this weekend as a Friday night confrontation has left a resident of that village dead. Police say the deceased, who was handcuffed at the time, was shot accidentally when he tried to grab hold of the arresting officer’s weapon. Today News 5’s Jacqueline Woods travelled to Crooked Tree, where family and friends say that the shooting was no accident, but instead the culmination of a simmering village feud.
Jacqueline Woods, Reporting
Residents of Crooked Tree Village remain stunned following the shooting death of eighteen year old Fredrick Reynolds. They maintain that Reynolds was killed by P.C. Marvin Vernon the officer in charge of their police station because the young man had testified against him in a case where Vernon allegedly beat up one George Pitts. Pitts says the incident took place in May just outside of this shop, where he says Vernon was selling behind the counter. Pitts says he was in the company of Reynolds when Vernon allegedly attacked him.
George Pitts
“The policeman come out of the shop and come after me, and started to beat me up. I asked him what gawn on, and he just beat me up. My friend started to holler and tell me not to do anything, because I was looking to defend myself back. So I kept my hand down and let him beat me up and do what he had to do to me.”
On Thursday, August thirtieth the case was heard in Belize City in Which Reynolds was called as a prime witness. Mildred Crawford, Pitts mother, who accompanied them to court says Reynolds became nervous following his testimony telling her that officer Vernon looked at him in a threatening manner.
Mildred Crawford, Witness
“We got out the door after Fredrick’s testimony and the police came right out after us. I turned around just at the same time when he cut his eyes, he was that mean, and Fredrick said “Did Mildred, you see?” And I said, “Don’t worry you’re okay, you’re with me, he can’t do you anything.”
Pitts says because of officer Vernon’s behaviour, he decided not to go out Friday but instead stayed home. Around 8:00 that night Reynolds left his home to attend a kids karaoke at the Lakeview Club. Approximately two hours later officer Vernon arrived at the club along with one P.C. Moore of Maskall Village. Sometime later, it is alleged the policemen started buying beers.
Donald Gillett, Bartender
“For sure these officers purchased beer, both of them. They apparently took turns, one officer bought a round, the other officer buy another round.”
Jacqueline Woods
“Did they buy the beer from you?”
Donald Gillett
“They dealt with me because they know me as a former officer. They had their transactions done through me. I would not want to say that the officers were drunk, but for sure the officers were under the influence.”
Witnesses say Vernon then approached Dorian Dawson and Alex Adolphus and conducted a body search. Adolphus says he does not know why they were targeted.
Alex Adolphus, Detained by Police
“I don’t know, I don’t know. I’m not telling any lies, I don’t know. The man rubbed us down and he didn’t find anything on us. The man let us go and he come back and handcuff we back again.”
The policemen then drove off, but Wayne Wade says they returned and that’s when he saw officer Vernon pull out an automatic weapon that looked like a nine millimetre pistol and fired several shots.
Wayne Wade, Witness
“The officer down there just pulled the gun an automatic gun, and just (makes noise), just said “Stand back, stand back and the push them and tell the brother, “You go ahead.” And it’s just blaw, blaw, blaw. In the end, they just pushed him. When they got them in the truck, everybody was just standing round, so he said, “back up back up.”
Witnesses say this is when officer Vernon grabbed hold of Reynolds despite the young man’s pleas to release him.
Ruth Burns, Witness
“He asked the police, he said, “Officer, why you di take me, I no do nothing.” He said, “I stand up like everybody else and di look on. Why me?” He tell a “Just get inna the truck.” So he stood by the back of the truck, talking to him, asking him not to take him. The police just picked him up, like with one hand between his foot and slammed him in the vehicle on his head.”
The police then drove off, but the vehicle stopped a few yards away just under this mango tree. It is here witnesses say they heard gunshots then someone screamed they just killed the young boy.
Alex Adolphus, Detained by Police
“When I listen I hear pow, because the man mi di stand up in front of me, so I can’t see nothing. I can’t see none at all. Then I listened and I heard the young boy said “Ouch, ouch.” After that he no talk no more again.”
Jacqueline Woods
The Crooked Tree Police Station remains closed as police continue their investigations. However, they say preliminary investigations have revealed that Fredrick Reynolds was shot after his friend Dorian Dawson tried to pull away the gun from office Marvin Vernon. But witnesses say it was no accident.
Alex Adolphus
“Fredrick never mess with the police. Nobody mi di mess with the police, nobody down there.”
Ruth Burns
“Dorian say that after the police get back in the vehicle, the police pointed the gun in Fredrick’s chest and told him “I wah kill you.” He said but because he was handcuffed to the other guy, he was trying to reach over to knock away the police’s hand, but he was too late.”
Wilda Crawford, who helped raise Reynolds, says she believes her nephew was targeted and then murdered.
Wilda Crawford, Aunt
“I said Fredrick is dead? I said, “No, it can’t be because he went and he testified against the police Thursday and Friday night he was dead. I think it was intentionally done. It was murder and I think he should come to justice. Something needs to be done.”
The family says they want justice and the police say the matter is under investigation. In the meantime, they have charged Dorian Adolphus for assaulting a police officer. Reporting for News 5, Jacqueline Woods.
P.C. Marvin Vernon remains on duty, but police say that following an investigation all statements will be forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions for his recommendations.
