‘A pure head shot him get’

Kerry Phipps was a shadow of herself, during sips of a hot beverage on Saturday, mere hours after the controversial killing of her 26-year old son by the police in an alleged early morning shoot-out.

The incident occurred around 6 a.m. in the farming community of Fern Hill, Unity, in Lawrence Tavern.

Phipps, a farmer, who regularly depended on her son, Michael Cain, a taxi operator, to do the heavy lifting and feeding of her livestock, is demanding answers, saying she will stop at nothing in pursuit of justice.

Cain’s family believes the incident stems from a chopping and stabbing incident a few weeks ago involving men known to her son.

She told The Gleaner that a cop involved in the fatal shooting is a relative of one of the injured persons in the bloody melee.

That claim has been confirmed by a police source, but calls to divisional commander Senior Superintendent Aaron Fletcher have gone unanswered.

Phipps left to sell in the market Saturday and reportedly gave Cain $9,000 to buy feed for her animals.

While unpacking her produce downtown, she got a call from her daughter that the police had killed her son while he was reportedly under the bonnet of his car.

She claimed that he was getting the car ready to go and purchase the feed before he began his taxi rounds.

“Mi have a sick hand, so him say him a go work today (Saturday) and use the money carry me to doctor Monday. The last thing he said to me, ‘Galang a your bed ‘cause you a wake 4 o’clock a morning,” Phipps said, crying.

She said Cain was known to all policemen in the area because of the nature of his work and the taxi stand, which is nearby the Lawrence Tavern Police Station.

“A pure head shot him get. Mi run from down a town and reach a Public (Kingston Public Hospital) and look inna di Jeep. Mi say, ‘Unnu kill mi son.’ The whole a him head back mash up.

“.... Jus the head alone, from back way. No face shot mi son nuh get.”

The Independent Commission of Investigations visited the scene and has launched a probe.

A report has also been made to the Inspectorate and Professional Standards Oversight Bureau.

Phipps is especially aggrieved because of the single-handed sacrifice she made in raising Cain and his siblings.

“Mi nah no father for him. A me take care of him and di five pickney dem without father, and mi work the hardest for mi pickney dem. Mi walk and buy people load all ‘bout a bush just fi make me children dem comfortable,” Phipps said.

Residents in the community said that gun crimes were rare in that community. They, too, are demanding a thorough probe.

“This mash up everybody. This mean say police can plan and come for you anywhere you deh. Look which part dem kill the man. A him car door.

“Nothing nuh shoot up. A jus him get everything,” a resident, who requested anonymity, told The Gleaner while looking at the bloodstains.

andre.williams@gleanerjm.com