Wife of reservist who shot would-be robber: It's very scary, it's escalating

By Ava Turnquest

Tribune Chief Reporter

aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

FEARS over escalating gun violence persist in the Fox Hill community, according to the wife of an off-duty reservist who shot and killed an alleged robber who acted “in a threatening manner” early yesterday morning.

According to police, the off-duty reserve cop saw a man breaking into his neighbour’s vehicle across the street.

His wife, whose name has been withheld, told The Tribune she felt it was necessary for residents to arm themselves, adding she felt safe knowing that her husband had a licenced firearm.

Insisting crime was out of control, she said her neighbourhood was a hotspot with car and home break-ins occurring frequently.

“You always have to be watching over your shoulders,” she said, “no matter what kind of situation it is. The crime situation is very out of control. I don’t know what to say or how to put it in perspective, but it’s really getting out of hand for the last couple months.

“It’s increased to the high, it’s very scary…it’s escalating. 

“I know (police) trying they best and they’re scared because they have family too but it ain’t in control. It’s way out of control. We had a lot of killings in this area, Step Street, people being gunned down, couple people done get shoot out on the (Fox Hill) park. It’s not safe to go anywhere around here, because you don’t know who at this point have gun.”

The reserve officer’s wife, 49, has lived in the area for three years but her husband is a life-long resident.

The reserve police officer reportedly heard noise outside his home in Fox Hill shortly after 4am, and went outside armed with his licensed shotgun to investigate.

“Once his presence was known,” a police report read, “the suspect acted in a threatening manner, resulting in the officer discharging his weapon and injuring the man. The injured man was transported to hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.”

The matter will now go to Coroner’s Court, according to Acting Police Commissioner Paul Rolle.

When asked whether she thought residents in the area should be armed, the reserve officer’s wife said: “Very much, this is a crime area up in here, especially on the back road, known for car break-ins and people breaking open houses. I feel very safe, but at one point when (my husband) go on the island I used to be so scared.”

She continued: “Especially when it get around two or three o’clock in the morning, that’s when they start coming. You hear the dog constantly barking. Last night the dogs was constantly barking, that’s how we knew he was out there.” 

She said the alleged robber charged towards her husband with a screwdriver, adding it was the second time in recent weeks that cars at the neighbouring apartment had been broken into.

She called for increased police patrols in the area, and noted police response to reports of break-ins were not consistent.

“We need some assistance with that,” the reserve officer’s wife said, “even in hours of the night you need to have police patrolling and assisting because you can’t do it alone. You only could protect your neighbours so far, we still need community policing to come on board sometimes you call for them they don’t come. 

“The first time we call they haven’t really showed up,” she said, “but I was glad (Thursday) morning they came on time. But many times, you call the police they don’t respond.”

Yesterday, National Security Minister Marvin Dames and Acting Police Commissioner Rolle warned against conflating the shooting with an incident last Friday in which police killed three men at a home while executing a search warrant. During that incident, police said the men opened fire and officers were in fear for their lives. 

“Let’s not confuse this,” Mr Dames told reporters. 

“I believe it was a shooting involving a police reserve, right, who lived within a particular community. I don’t know the full circumstances around that, but we will see what the police investigation says at the end of the day.”

He added: “And so let’s not confuse that with police on duty and shooting. That’s a different situation.”

Acting Commissioner Rolle stressed the reserve officer was not acting in an official capacity.

“We have to investigate it see the circumstances but that incident happened with an individual as a resident, taking place at his residence, he was protecting his residence. 

Mr Rolle added: “He was not acting as a police officer, don’t mix them up. He just happened to be a police.”

Yesterday, The Tribune asked Mr Rolle for statistics on the number of licensed firearms registered in the country but the request was denied.