Still no answers for mother of 17-year-old fatally shot by police!

Where is the justice!” This was the desperate cry from Joanna Joseph this week, speaking on the death of her 17-year-old son Arnold Joseph. On May 22, Arnold was fatally shot by police who claimed the driver of a “suspicious vehicle” in which he was a passenger had failed to obey a command to stop.

Two other males were also in the vehicle. The following day the police announced that a 9mm firearm was “recovered from the individuals” but, at a later press briefing on June 27, said the firearm was discovered “en route” to where the incident had occurred. 

Glen Gabriel, the driver of the vehicle, was in May charged with several traffic violations, none gun-related. Speaking on the involved officers at the briefing in June, ACP Wayne Charlery said they remained on active duty. At press time the police confirmed that situation had not changed. The officers were still on active duty.  

By the accounts of family members, classmates and teachers from Entrepot Secondary School, Arnold was an exemplary student. For his mother Joanna Joseph, the grieving process has been extremely difficult. Having to deal with a lack of updates from the police force further compounds her grief. “Most of the time I just grieve by myself,” she told the STAR. “I don’t really do much or go anywhere. It’s kind of hard not receiving any answers from the police. It has not been an easy road. Some days are better than others but there are more bad than good,” she said.

Arnold left behind his little sister Vanya Emmanuel. Their mother explained that the two siblings shared a special bond. “She doesn’t really speak about the situation,” said Joseph. “We tried getting her to speak with two counsellors but she’s not really opening up. So it’s just a matter of observing her and deciding what is the next step.”

Joseph is employed with a cruise ship and took time off following her son’s death. She expects to head back to work this month, uncertain of what the future holds. She says that it makes no sense staying on-island any longer with no responses coming from the police. In answer to her every question, Joseph said, the police tell her “investigations are taking place”. They never talk about the status of investigations.  

The irate mother expressed little faith in the island’s justice system, arguing that it only appears to work for some. As for the officers who shot her son, Joseph questions why they’ve been allowed to continue as if everything had been resolved. “If it were my 17-year-old who had shot one of them, would he be able to walk the streets as they are doing? Somebody needs to be held responsible for what happened to my child. He wasn’t a criminal; he was never in trouble with the police.  Everyone is acting as if my child was nobody.”

Last Thursday, Joanna Joseph was Rick Wayne’s guest on his TV show TALK.