Police Officer pointed a gun at my son earlier in the day by nightfall he shot him to death.
BELVEDERE:--Jenifer Suzanna Isidora and her daughter Shemaiah Daflaar are demanding justice for their son and brother Akeem Isidora that was brutally murdered in Happy Estate, Belvedere Wednesday night by an off-duty police officer identified as Rishmer York.
The bereaved mother told SMN News that she was in her bedroom Wednesday afternoon when she saw a red Kia Jeep with very dark tint parked up across from her apartment. She said the jeep had on its bright lights but the tint on the jeep was so dark that no one could see who was inside the vehicle. Ms. Isidora said she heard some noise shortly after and decided to go out of her house to see what was happening because her 22 year old son Akeem was outside of his house. "I was just behind the jeep when I heard three gunshots, I did not know who fired the shots but the shots were fired by someone that was inside the dark tinted vehicle. I also saw my son Akeem was speaking to someone that was sitting on the driver side of the jeep, while my other son Junior was approaching the jeep. When I heard the shots I ducked and by then the jeep sped off leaving my son to die on the ground."
Ms. Isidora refuted the statements made by Police Spokesman Ricardo Henson who said that the officer was attacked by a gang of boys that were armed. Isidora said there was not much people outside, and definitely there were no other shots fired but the three that was fired by the killer. Isidora said the off duty officer was driving around in Belvedere earlier in the afternoon and when he spotted her son and his friend walking their dog the officer slowed down and pointed his weapon at Akeem and told him that his days are counted before he return to the Netherlands.
'This officer knew that my son was in the Netherlands and he also knew that he was to leave the island to return to the Netherlands on March 12th 2015. My son arrived on St. Maarten on November 14th 2014. He spent the holidays and his birthday here and wanted to stay for the Regatta before returning to the Netherlands to start back school. It's been three years my son was in the Netherlands and I did not see him."
Isidora said that Officer York was constantly harassing her son, once the same officer saw her son at the Gas station and he began dropping words at him and he was seen by Akeem God sister, when the officer noticed that someone was looking at him he jumped into his vehicle and left. Isidora further explained that one week later York saw her son in Philipsburg and again harassed her son. She said her son told her when he got home that he does not know the officer but he has been constantly harassed by him. Isidora said ever since her son got out of prison from the stabbing incident that left Otmar Leonard dead he has been harassed by several police officers. She said a number of police officers have been tormenting her son and to avoid any problems she sent him away to the Netherlands where he spent three years.
Shemaiah Daflaar said that ever since her brother got out of prison he was harassed by several police officers and that was the reason the family sent him away. Daflaar said only last week the same officer York picked up her brother in Belvedere where he is living because he did not have his identification card on him. She said her mother came out with his passport but the officer insisted that he will take him to the Philipsburg Police station and that she should go there with his passport. Daflaar and Isidora said that the officer York knew Akeem Isidora and it is clear that he was a target because from the time he was 15 years old he was harassed by police. Daflaar and her mother said that each time York harassed him he kept saying that he did not know York, they both said that they don't know if York is related to the victim Otmar Leonard. Daflaar said that the police is supposed to protect the people but now police is shooting people and killing them innocently. "I want to know if something happen today who the people of St. Maarten should call because youths are being harassed by the police and are now being shot to death by police innocently. "The police is supposed to protect and guard the people but now it's the other way around."
The mother and daughter said that several persons including children that witnessed the shooting are currently giving statements to the Landsreachere.
Several friends of Akeem Isidora that was on the scene on Thursday said that they saw what transpired. They said that there were no gang or group of boys in Happy Estate when York shot Akeem three times and killed them. It was clear that the youths living in Happy Estate are in a state of shock as they themselves no longer feel safe. "Seeing our friend that we grew up dead so innocently is something beyond their understanding. Most of them told SMN News that they have become the target of the police.
One of his friends who witnessed the shooting said that the police having been harassing youths. The young man said instead of providing work for the youths government is building more cages for the youths (prison cells). He said his brother was also a targeted by police. He said that an officer told his brother that he had a bullet with his name written on it.
The young man said police need to know how to speak to the youths. Most of the time they are the aggressor and when the youths react they are being shot at or arrested.