Acting Police Commissioner Edvin Martin has reached out publicly to the families affected by the October 30 incident in the Town of St. George which led to the shooting death of 67-year-old Trevor Regis of Fontenoy and left two police officers injured.
“On behalf of the Royal Grenada Police Force (RGPF), I publicly expressed our deep sympathies to the family of the late Mr. Trevor Regis, who succumbed to injuries following an altercation with police on October 30,” Commissioner Martin said in a statement issued Thursday.
The Police Chief also extended speedy recovery wishes to the police officers injured during the altercation which was apparently sparked off by the October 21 incident in which Regis’ son, Chris was shot in the arm by a police officer who spotted him smoking a ganja spliff.
Martin described the events which sent rippling effect throughout the Grenadian community sad and heart-wrenching since “we are all impacted on various levels.”
“…On behalf of the RGPF, I offer sentiments of comfort and reassurance to all of the individuals and their families in this time of pain and mourning,” he said.
Commissioner Martin acknowledged that “both incidents raised questions about operational procedures (within the Force) and other matters that must be answered.”
“You can be assured that the Royal Grenada Police Force is committed to fully addressing those concerns through a thorough process of investigation now on the way,” he said.
Regis was shot four times by a police officer after he first attacked and critically stabbed a police woman with a knife and cutting another, before a third officer shot him twice in the chest and once on each the left and right leg.
In his statement, Commissioner Martin disclosed that as a result of the attack by the father, the injured female officer, Woman Police Constable (WPC) 515 Andra Kerry-Ann Anderson, had to undergo emergency surgery and is still hospitalised while her colleague, Police Constable PC 552 Keddy Modeste, has since been discharged.
Speculation is rife that the deceased father launched the attack on the police officers after visiting his son at the St. George’s General Hospital who informed him that a visiting police party wanted him to sign a bail form for a charge of ganja possession and a parcel with the alleged illegal drugs.
A family member told THE NEW TODAY that the father concluded that the police were trying to frame his son and indicated that he had enough and left the hospital and within minutes attacked the police officers.
According to Commissioner Martin, following the shooting of the son, a team of officers from the Community Relations Department (CRD) of RGPF visited the family at Fontenoy and had discussions with the victim’s (now deceased) father.
“I also personally met with Mr. Trevor and his wife on Sunday, October 25, at the family home, dutifully awaiting the outcome of the investigation (and) during my visit, I was careful not to cast blame or find fault on any side – instead I focused on compassion and gave assurance of a thorough investigation into the shooting incident,” he said, adding that this is why “it was disheartening when I was briefed on the circumstances of Friday’s sequence of events,” following which, Commissioner Martin said, police officers again reached out to the family.
The island’s chief cop assured the nation that “both matters (shooting of Chris and killing of the father) are the subject of active investigations and pointed out that the Force “is not at liberty to speak on the substantive elements of the incidents at this time as that might be pre-mature and can also potentially prejudice any legal outcome of the matters.”
“Upon completion of the investigation, the files will be submitted to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) for review and recommendations.”
“We will continue to reach out to the families involved to hear their concerns first hand and to answer their questions to the extent that we are able to at this point in time.
“We will continue to avail ourselves as being supportive and transparent throughout this process.”
Commissioner Martin appealed to Grenadians for their continued support and understanding at this point in time.
The Commissioner did not make any mention of claims made by the Regis family that police have pressed charges against the injured Chris for illegal possession of ganja.