"Police don't just go around shooting people."
This was the assurance of ACP Oswain Subero as he responded to questions from Newsday on the police-involved killing of Ronelle Marcelle, also known as Ratty, on April 25, in Bethel, Tobago.
According to a police report, around 9.15am, a plain-clothes officer attempted to arrest Marcelle, who was wanted for several offences.
The man allegedly resisted and attacked the officer with a knife and cutlass.
The report said a lengthy struggle ensued in which Marcelle was shot by the officer in accordance with the use-of-force policy.
He died while being treated at the Scarborough General Hospital.
A video of the incident showed Marcelle handcuffed while the plain-clothes policeman, wearing a jersey and a track pants, told him to relax. Onlookers were also urging Marcelle to calm down.
However, an agitated Marcelle kept saying that police wanted to kill him and told the officer to let him go.
In an interview with Newsday on April 27, Subero said, "It is a police-involved shooting and the individual died. Police don't just go around killing people. Police get into confrontation and people die as a result of the confrontation."
He said he expects a fair investigation into the incident.
"We expect the Police Complaints Authority and the Professional Standards Bureau to also do an investigation in line with established procedures as to every shooting that involved the loss of life that the police is a part of. We are awaiting investigations and I want to take this time to offer my condolences to the family of the deceased."
He said the services of the Police Victim and Witness Support Unit will be made available to the relatives of the deceased.
Asked whether the officer is on leave while the investigation is taking place, Subero said no.
"The officer is on duty. The investigation will reveal what transpired and if there is any action to be taken it will be taken."
On whether the police have received any backlash from the public over the incident, he said, "There has been no untoward event after that arrest that took place, and we monitor."
