Senior police officer reports to public on events leading to fatal shooting of Mannie James

The Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda is seeking to clear
the air on the shooting of Bendals resident Mannie James, alleging
that the Police were shot at first and that the vehicle James was
driving did not have a front license plate.

Superintendent of Police Lisborn Michael appeared during
Thursday’s post-Cabinet press briefing to answer questions about
the fatal shooting that has members of the Grays Farm community
up in arms.

Michael, the operations officer at the Criminal Investigations
Department (CID), gave a chronology of the events that led to the
high-speed chase and James’ subsequent death.

He says the Police are continuing investigations into the incident,
which began at 8:30 p.m. on July 31 on Lauchland Benjamin Drive.
Michael says a white Suzuki Vitara with three occupants was
spotted during a joint police-military stop-and-search operation.
Because the vehicle did not have a front license plate, he says, it
attracted the attention of officers, who tried to get the vehicle to

stop. But immediately, he says, it turned around and sped off in an
easterly direction. 

The officers gave chase in a marked police pick-up, Michael says,
following the vehicle, with sirens blaring, to the Ottos community,
where one occupant jumped out.

The chase continued to the Gray Hill area, the police officer says, at
which point officers came under gunfire and where a second person
existed the vehicle and escaped.

Michael says the driver of the Vitara continued on to the Grays Farm
area, where he abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot.
The superintendent says that James, 45, was subsequently
apprehended, with bullet wounds to his back and abdomen, and
was transported to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. 

However,  Michael could not say at what point James had been
fatally shot – whether during the chase or when he was being
pursued on foot by a police constable and a Defence Force soldier.
Meanwhile, a video in wide circulation shows James being pursued
by two law-enforcement officers, and then the sound of what
appears to be a gun shot is heard.

Even though no gun was found on James’ person, Michael claims
there is proof that the pursuing police vehicle was fired upon, saying
there are two bullet holes on the left side of the vehicle.
He adds that any of the two occupants who escaped from the vehicle
could have gotten away with the firearm. And while their identities
are not yet known, Michael is confident they will be apprehended as
the investigations continue.

He says that subsequent checks at the Antigua and Barbuda
Transport Board to determine ownership of the jeep show that it
was last registered on December 8, 2019.

He speculates that this could have been the reason that the driver
fled, since the 2023 license tag on the jeep was clearly fabricated.
Michael says that residents should cooperate with the Police in the
lawful execution of their duties, especially during stop-and-search
exercises, as the Force continues to work in the public’s best
interest.

He says the investigation into this shooting death – which is being
undertaken by the Serious Crimes Unit – is being carried out in
accordance with the Coroners Act.

Meanwhile, although James is being described as a conscientious
father who worked seven days a week, the Police appear to have a
different picture of him.

Michael admits that there was no warrant out for James’ arrest, but
he says the deceased had a rich history and is known to the Police in
terms of previous convictions. Accordingly, he has been on the
police radar for some time. 

In the meantime, online checks for news items involving Mannie
James have produced only the story about his unfortunate death.

The Force, through Michael, has sent its condolences to James’
family, as the two officers involved in the incident are now on leave
and receiving counseling.