Five bullets pumped into cop as he lay on the ground

“YUH see you, you looking like police...” With these words an armed bandit forced Ag Insp Edward Williams — bodyguard of former President Arthur NR Robinson — to lie on the ground before pumping five bullets into him at the St Augustine home of Dean of the University of the West Indies, Dr Marjorie Thorpe on Tuesday night. And in a sharp, direct response to what is now the third murder of a policeman within the past month,  Commissioner of Police Trevor Paul vowed to, “leave no stone unturned,” in investigations into Williams’ murder. At the time of the fatal shooting, former President Robinson was just sitting down to a formal dinner in the dining room of Dr  Thorpe’s Smart Street, St Augustine home in the company of his daughter Ann Margaret and other guests.

According to police reports, the bandits who stormed Dr Thorpe’s home, had earlier committed a robbery along the East/West Corridor, and on seeing the former President’s silver-grey BMW sedan parked in the driveway, decided to “hit” the Thorpe’s residence. “If it were not for the brave work of acting Inspector Williams in confronting the bandits, we could have had an even bigger tragedy here tonight,” CoP Paul said as he referred to the fact that the former President and several other leading officials were having dinner at the time. According to police sources, around 8.30 pm, three armed bandits scaled an iron gate on the west side of the Thorpe residence and confronted Ag Insp Williams and Robinson’s driver, ex-Police Constable Simmons. After frisking Williams and relieving him of his service revolver, wallet and cellular phone, one of the bandits pointed at Williams and said, “Yuh see you, you looking like police,” before ordering Williams to lie on the ground of the curving driveway.

Five nine-millimetre bullets were then pumped into Williams’ chest and stomach by the bandit who, along with his cohorts, ran off and made good their escape. Williams died on the spot. The shots which struck Williams at point blank range sent his blood spurting onto the lower end of the front passenger door of Robinson’s BMW sedan. His blood also drained down the sloping driveway, which was later hosed down by officers. The handle on that door was taped over after fingerprint experts dusted it for prints. Police sources told Newsday Robinson remained indoors throughout the entire incident before being hurriedly whisked away by a large contingent of heavily armed police officers who arrived on the scene about 20 minutes after the shooting. The house was quickly cordoned off by police who retrieved several spent shells around Williams’ bloodied body.

As more police arrived on the scene, a curious gathering stood outside the Thorpe’s  residence as the DMO  arrived and viewed the body which was removed from the scene at approximately 11.20 pm for the Forensic Science Centre in St James, and which was escorted by a carload of police. “We have lost another policeman who was killed in the line of duty. He was killed protecting the lives of others. On behalf of the entire Police Service, I would like to extend deepest sympathies to the family of acting Inspector Williams,” a sombre CoP Paul stated. “This murder, shows the level of recklessness and the total loss of respect for human lives we are now seeing in the country,” CoP Paul added.

Commissioner Paul said he hoped that the law-abiding citizens of the country would bear with the police and show an understanding disposition as citizens can expect several inconveniences as police step up their anti-crime drive. Acting Inspector Williams, 54, had 34 years of service behind him and was last attached to the Special Branch. He is the third policeman to be murdered within the past month and his death follows the bludgeoning of PC Aloysius Charles, whose body was found in some bushes at Cemetery Street, Toco, and SRP Heston Joseph who was shot dead during a robbery in a maxi-taxi on July 14.