BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THE mother, relatives and friends of Elvis ‘Darkie’ Maynard, as well as many other residents of St. Paul’s are calling on the Police High Command to thoroughly investigate the Friday, May 1, 2009 shooting incident that occurred on Main Street in that Village.
While a police press release stated that Maynard was shot after he attacked an officer who went to St. Paul’s to investigate a report at Main Street, the wounded man and his friend, James Carty, claimed that the police officer’s allegations were fabricated and he intentionally shot Maynard in the abdomen.
The release read, “On Friday 1st May 2009 at about 10:30 p.m., Police responded to a report at Main Street St. Pauls. Having dealt with that report, two men were seen smashing bottles in the road. The Police warned them against the behavior and left. The men became irate and began to follow the officer, making threats at him. One of the men, Elvis Maynard of St. Pauls attacked the officer, who discharged his firearm injuring him. He was taken to JNF Hospital where he was treated and warded in stable condition. Investigations are ongoing.”
SKNVibes recently visited St. Paul’s and spoke with a number of individuals including the Pastor of the Wesleyan Holiness Church, who said the only incident she knew that occurred on the night in question was the shooting of Maynard.
The Pastor explained that her church had hosted a Youth Rally on the Main Street and, while it was in progress, a shot rang out and most of the participants ran to the scene to inquire what transpired.
She added that apart from that, there was no other disturbance or incident in the area that warranted police presence.
Over in Grove Village at the Banana Spot, popularly known as Pauline’s Shop, the owner confirmed that both Maynard and Carty were at her business premises, where they each drank a beer before departing. “Shortly after they left I was told somebody shot Darkie and I was very surprised to hear that. Darkie is known by everyone to be a jovial person and don’t get involve in trouble,” she said.
SKNVibes then journeyed to Lennox Bar (also known as Lorna’s Bar) on Davis Road and spoke with the owner, Lorna.
Lorna declared she was not in the bar at the time Maynard and Carty claimed that the police officer had searched him (Maynard); therefore, she could not say what had transpired there. She however explained that she was seated on a bench opposite the bar and was entertained by Maynard.
“I cannot give an account of what went on in the shop. All that I can give an account of is that me and Darkie and some other fellows were liming on the bench and the police came and do his duty concerning a conflict between two brothers in the pool shop.
“Darkie was giving us a load of jokes while the police was standing just outside the shop. I did not see Darkie interfere with the police…he was busy giving us jokes. And after a while, two boys on the bench asked him to buy them a drink and Darkie said he aint get no money because he didn’t work last week. He then told us that he was going home.
“He and James then left to go home, and while on their way home a young man interfered with James and he mash a bottle off him. Darkie told him ‘let’s go home, don’t get yourself in any trouble’. All the while the police was still standing outside the shop, but couple minutes after Darkie and he friend leave, the police turn off behind them.
“About 20 minutes to half an hour after Darkie and James leave I was still sitting on the bench, and a lady run coming down the street say ‘Darkie just get shoot’. That is all I know,” Lorna said.
Another resident of St. Paul’s, under the condition of anonymity, said the police officer had responded to a report made by a 14-year-old male against his elder brother.
“The police went into the pool shop and spoke with the older brother. He body-searched him and took away two knives from him. The officer did not arrest him, but he took control of the situation and settled the family feud. However, another young man had threatened the officer and told him that he will shoot him. This particular young man was also using a lot of bad words and the officer just ignored him. If it was anybody who was to be shot or locked up, it should have been that young man and not Darkie,” the resident said.
Maynard’s mother, Mary Maynard, a resident of St. Thomas, said she flew back to her homeland after learning that “my son was deliberately shot by a police officer”.
She informed this media house that the doctor who operated on her son said, “God saved your child and not luck!” Mary also said the doctor told her that feces had flooded her son’s abdominal area and it had to be thoroughly cleaned before medical treatment could have been administered.
“The doctor told me that three different organs had to be removed from his body and the bullet exited his body very close to his spine. I am very annoyed over the manner in which my son was shot…he could have died. I learnt that he did nothing wrong for the police officer to follow him all the way from Lorna’s Bar to just a few yards away from where he lives and shoot him as if he were a criminal.
“What bothers me is the fact that even if my son were misbehaving, of which everybody who saw what happened said he was not, why didn’t the police arrest him and take him to the station? If it were a fact that he attacked the officer, why didn’t he fire a warning shot to deter him? Why didn’t he shoot him on his leg? With what weapon did my son attack him and where is the weapon?” Mary questioned.
She also noted that the police officer had already searched her son’s body and bag prior to the incident on Main Street and questioned, “Why did he want to search him again?”
Mary Maynard said she wants the “Police High Command to thoroughly investigate this matter because my son had done nothing wrong. Me, family members and friends of my son are all calling for justice, and it must be done without bias and favouritism as early as possible”.
When contacted for a comment on the incident, Deputy Commissioner Stafford Liburd said that the High Command was aware of it, and he declared that no charges were brought against Maynard to date.
SKNVibes however learned from sources close to the police that Elvis ‘Darkie’ Maynard would be charged for allegedly attacking the officer.
