The family of Mannie James will this Christmas get no closer to understanding what exactly happened on July 31.
The 45-year-old father of two was part of a high-speed chase through St John’s city involving police officers and military officials who were carrying out an operation in the Lauchland Benjamin Drive area.
Five months on from the tragic incident, the family has yet to be informed as to why officers—whose names remain unknown—shot James while he was unarmed.
“[It is] very, very hard, because I’ve been going to beg money to get snacks and school clothes. That’s why I get up and get work so I can look after them because it’s very hard. Sometimes the family don’t have no money.
“No one is there to watch them like that after putting out myself to get somebody to watch them,” James’ partner Mariesa Hixon told Observer.
Prior to his death, James rented out jet skis to tourists on Jolly Beach, and was described as the sole breadwinner for Hixon and her children—a 6-year-old son and 8-year-old daughter—who have been struggling with the death of their father.
Operations Officer at the Criminal Investigations Department, Superintendent Lisbon Michael told reporters following the incident that the vehicle in which James was driving engaged in gunfire with officers and two unreported individuals had escaped.
It remains unclear as to whether James was directly involved in firing a weapon at the pursuing officers.
However, no weapons were found in the vehicle at the time of James’ shooting.
Meanwhile, the police have been reached for comment on an update in their investigations to which, up to press time, none was provided.
Hixon has been given permission by the funeral home which had been storing the body of James, with the financial assistance of the government, to proceed with his burial.
The funeral will place further financial burden on her, as she struggles to secure the finances to have James properly buried.
