Two weeks ago Police Commissioner Severin Monchery promised via a radio interview that “in the coming days people will feel the wrath of the police. People will really see what the police are doing. Not that we’ve not been doing, but we are going to intensify some of the things we’ve done. We’ve reviewed our plans, we’ve reviewed our strategies and, in the coming days, weeks and months, certain changes will be felt.” It remained to be seen how the promised “wrath” would be made manifest. The guessing game was short-lived. Last Saturday, with the fatal shooting by the police of Miguel ‘Mad Max’ Edward at the Rodney Bay Marina, many Saint Lucians imagined they had been given their answer. The police account of the incident: Officers attached to the Gros Islet police station went to the marina looking for Edward, following various reports on November 1 and 2, including his suspected involvement in an attempted robbery, an assault with a firearm and some sexual offences.
Police also made clear Edward was not wanted for prior offences such as his 2018 firearm possession charge, neither for a 2016 armed robbery for which he was allowed bail. At the time of his death this last matter had not yet been resolved in court.
According to the police, last Saturday two officers encountered Edward at the marina, just as he was leaving the customs area. He tried to evade arrest but the officers gave chase and finally cornered him, at which point he “withdrew (sic) a weapon and attempted to assault one of the officers with that weapon”. The officer retaliated by firing at Edward, who succumbed to his injuries at Victoria Hospital. The police say “investigations are ongoing”.
The STAR asked the police whether Edward had already boarded a boat when the officers encountered him, as was bruited about over the weekend, especially on Facebook, and what type of weapon Edward produced when cornered. The police response was that they would not speak to such detail.
As for the much talked about reported rape of a 105-year-old woman, the police refused to confirm any relationship with Edward.
The police reticence with regard to last Saturday’s shooting reminds of their reluctance to supply information related to the fatal police shooting several weeks ago of 17-year-old Entrepot Secondary School student Arnold Joseph. Although the police took responsibility
for the shooting, there have been no related charges. Meanwhile, they say Arnold Joseph’s file has been sent to the DPP’s office.
In a separate incident, eleven months to the day after Robert Hathaway’s grisly death, a 22-year-old female has been charged with his murder. She appeared in court on Monday and has since been remanded to the Bordelais Correctional Facility. She is due back in court on Wednesday. Police refused to confirm whether the woman acted alone.
