The family of a young lifeguard, who was fatally shot in a run-in with police Monday night, are demanding answers to what they believe was a senseless death.
Deron Bethel 20, of Pinewood Gardens, was killed when a shot was fired through his car window by plainclothed police officers.
Shortly after the shots were fired, the car which was in reverse, slammed into poles at the end of the road.
The Pinewood community yesterday accused police of shooting an innocent man.
However, police maintained that Deron was trying to allude police and driving his car in “a violent manner” towards police when officers were forced to open fire.
Yesterday Deron’s family, including his mother, Diana Bethel, father, Roger Bethel, a police officer, and his brother, Dwayne Bethel, an officer with the Central Detective Unit, met with police commissioner Paul Farquharson.
In an interview with The Tribune, Mrs Bethel said that the commissioner assured her that there will be a thorough investigation into the incident by a special unit.
“He said no screws will be left unturned.
“lt is my intention not to let my child’s death be in vain. He didn’t do anything; and he had nothing on him. No gun, no drugs, no knife, no nothing, so I just hope they don’t plant anything in that car, because that won’t work,” she said.
In addition to his family members, Deron leaves behind his girlfriend, Shakira Coakley, who is five-months pregnant with his child.
Ms Coakley yesterday was loo distraught to speak with The Tribune.
According to Deron’s mother, he had just started a job as a lifeguard and beach attendant at the Paradise Island hotel, RIU.
Mrs Bethel said that RIU’s management contacted her to express their condolences.
“They said he was one of the best workers they ever had,” she said.
Deron’s friends told The Tribune that everyone in the community is considered family. The young men all said that his death has hit them as if it were their own brother.
However, despite the high tide of emotion which ran through the community Monday night, they were determined not to lose their tempers and create another incident like the Nassau Village Riot.
“We made sure nothing like that happened, because we didn’t want the situation to become worse or for anyone else to maybe get shot, but the residents of Pinewood Gardens are asking for justice to be served immediately. We will wait for justice to take its course,” said one friend.
Press liaison officer Inspector Walter Evans on Monday night told the press that the incident happened shortly after 8pm.
He said police were making inquiries in the area when they approached the vehicle. He said the young man drove in a violent manner, which prompted police to fire a single shot. Mr Evans said police were now awaiting the coroner’s report as to the exact cause of death.
However, residents of the area say that is not the real version of events.
Speaking with The Tribune yesterday, a group of Deron’s friends – who wished not to be named – said that Deron’s death was a senseless killing.
They maintained that Deron was sitting in his car talking with neighbours, minding his own business when he was killed. They said the officers did not identify themselves or state their reasons for approaching him.
“They walk up to the car, and try to open up the door, but he didn’t know who they was or what they wanted and so he put the car into reverse. Two or three seconds later, the officer fire a shot through the windshield and the car reverse all the way down the road and crashed into the pole,” one friend said.
One of his friends said, he ran over to the car and saw Deron try to lift up his head, and then slumped in the car.
“He didn’t get up no more after that and I knew that he was dead,” said another.
Mrs Bethel said that police were called to the area earlier that, day to investigate a “scuffle between a boyfriend and a girlfriend” who live across the road to the Bethel’s family home.
“Police first came at around 3pm and then returned around 8pm. They didn’t know who they were looking for when they tapped on Deron’s car window,” she said.
Mrs Bethel said she was at home settling in for the night when. a friend of Deron’s came to her door and told her that her son had been shot by plainclothes police officers.
She said that she immediately rushed to the scene at the end of the road where her son’s car had come to a stop.
“I don’t know how I got there because I had on my pajamas and I just managed to put a coat on over it. When I got there, there were three officers standing about and I asked them what happened,” she said.
Mrs Bethel said the officers refused to answer her.
“I said, ‘I want to see my child’ and they wouldn’t let me see him.
After waiting an hour, she said, an ambulance finally arrived at the scene.
“When we looked the ambulance came and it was there for so long and didn’t carry him and I asked them why they ain’t carry him. Deron was still sitting in the car, and police come with the yellow tape and tell me this is a crime scene.
“I asked them how this a crime scene, they shot him up the road,” she said.
Mrs Bethel said by the time the hearse arrived there were hundreds of people in the streets.
“And when I look the hearse came and the hearse took my child away and they still didn’t let me see him. They didn’t even let me get close to the car and they couldn’t tell me why,” she said.
Deron’s father, and his brother, both said it would be inappropriate to comment on the situation although they both agreed with Mrs Bethel’s comments about her son’s personality.
One of Deron’s friends said it is incidents like this which give police initiatives like the Urban Renewal Programme and Community Policing a bad name.
Mr Evans said that police investigations continue, but stressed that plainclothed officers are always required to carry identification cards to verify that they are members of the police force.
By CARA BRENNEN and KARIN HERIG Tribune Staff Reporters
