Evans’ family Petition to PM: “we want justice”

Evans’ family Petition to PM: “we want justice”

The family of Deangelo Evans, the 20-year-old gunned down by police on May 27, has begun circulating a petition addressed to the prime minister.

It calls for a thorough and transparent public investigation into the police-involved shooting.

The petition made its rounds at a community memorial and wake held for Evans on Thursday evening at the Father Marshall Cooper Park in Masons Addition.

“We have a petition where we are asking persons in the community to sign,” shared Pedro Lee, Evans’ uncle.

“We are asking for fast justice and transparency for this to be resolved as quick as possible. We are asking for anyone to join the petition right now. Even if you do not live in this community, we want the whole nation to support us.

“Right now, we aren’t getting any response from the prime minister, the police, the national security minister. Knowing that no one from authority has come forward to give us some kind of answers, it’s hard.”

It’s been almost one month to the exact date that Evans lost his life while allegedly walking to a local convenience store. The community gathered Thursday evening to remember him.

“It feels wonderful to know that the entire community is coming together for this tonight. A family that prays together, stays together. We plan to stay together,” shared Petra Rose, Evans’ cousin.

Rose, however, claimed authorities have treated the family very unfairly.

“I think its unethical. It is poor. This was a young individual that was killed. He was innocent,” she asserted.

“They have spun this story around, spread lies out there and tried to tarnish his name.

“We just want justice. That’s all.”

Lee agreed.

“This is very devastating for me. I was the last family member to see Deangelo before he was gunned down. When I heard the gunshots, I had no idea that it was my nephew being gunned down,” he said.

“This is a small community; every bad boy is not alike. The real criminals out there they do not shoot down like that. They are supposed to be serving the Bahamian people but, when they serve us in a poor way, they will cause communities to turn against them.”

Controversy surrounding the shooting incident began last month, after police alleged that Evans was a part of an armed robbery in the area.

Authorities said they responded to the robbery report and saw two males walking in the neighborhood who, to police, appeared suspicious.

Police allege that Evans, who was one of the two men, drew a gun at officers. An officer reportedly in fear for his life, fired multiple times at Evans.

Police said a weapon was recovered that was believed to be the property of Evans, at the scene of the shooting.

Evans died at the scene.

His family maintains that police not only wrongfully shot Evans, but also allegedly planted a weapon on the scene to frame the 20-year-old man.

Evans will be laid to rest at 2:00 p.m. Saturday.

About Theo Sealy

Theo Sealy is an award-winning journalist who serves as senior broadcast reporter and weekend TV news anchor at Eyewitness News. He has achieved several career milestones, including his work as a field contributor with CNN, his coverage of four consecutive general elections, his production of several docuseries and his Bahamas Press Club Awards win for “Best Television News Story” in 2018.