The parents of a young man who died after an interaction with police last year have pledged not to rest until justice has been served.
Saying he was “motivated by an unquenchable thirst for justice” Andrew Cave and Trudy Chow are calling for Barbadians of all walks of life to support them as they search for answers about how their son Shaquon Cave met his death.
Eyewitnesses have claimed that police officers stood on Shaquon’s neck while he was being apprehended in April 2020.
As a result of that information which only surfaced this year, the Royal Barbados Police Force could be facing a wrongful death lawsuit.
Police have claimed that Cave, formerly of Flagstaff, Clapham, St Michael, collapsed and died at the entrance of the Black Rock Police Station on April 10.
They said they were transporting him to the police station after responding to a report that a man was in the area of Skeete Road, Fairfield, Black Rock, St Michael throwing stones, bottles, breaking windows, damaging cars and houses.
Commissioner of Police Tyrone Griffith has confirmed he was aware of the allegations and revealed that an investigation has been launched into Shaquon’s death.
Speaking during a virtual press conference hosted by the Caribbean Movement for Peace and Integration this week, Andrew said his son’s death would not be in vain.
“April 10, 2020, marked a sad day in the history of humanity here in Barbados. It was a very, very sad day. Our son Shaquon Cave died in police custody and as a father who dearly misses his son, I am motivated in a very special way with an unquenchable thirst for justice. Justice for Shaquon is justice for everyone,” he said.
“Recently the world would have rallied around justice for George Floyd in the United States of America and today I appeal to every home, I appeal to every woman, every boy and every girl throughout Barbados and to the four corners of the earth, to have a conscience and if you don’t have a conscience please, for the sake of your sons, please grow one because the truth is Shaquon could have been your son, your grandson, your brother, your cousin, your nephew, whatever the case may be. We need to stand up for justice in this country. It is imperative that we do so.”
The distraught father said they were hoping to hold a rally in honour of Shaquon on May 22, in Independence Square from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
However, he said they were still awaiting permission from the relevant authorities.
Chow lamented the fact that over a year had passed since her son’s death and nothing had been done by police.
She pledged not to give up until justice was served.
“The heartbreaking thing is that this is over one year that I’ve been waiting…and one year has passed and nothing has been done and now that this information is in the public’s eyes all of a sudden the police and everyone is scampering.
“This is one battle I’m not going to give up on. I’ve got to get answers, I need to know what happened to him. I need to know how he died and what was the real outcome because we’re having so many reports of how he died,” Chow said.
“I really don’t need the ball to be dropped on this because I need to get some answers and I need to know what is the truth.”
Chow said Shaquon was cremated in December because she had “decided to let it go and let God take over”.
General Secretary of the Caribbean Movement for Peace and Integration David Denny pledged the organisation’s support for the family and called for an independent commission to be established to investigate Shaquon’s death.
(randybennett@barbadostoday.bb)
