Marine described as highly qualified, dedicated and committed individual
Footage from police body camera said to be “consistent with accounts of officers”
NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Leading Seaman Rodney Adderley, who was killed at the hands of police officers on Majority Rule Day, was yesterday described by the Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) as a highly qualified, humble and quiet training instructor who also “always sought to get the job done”.
According to reports, officers from the Operations Unit were on patrol when they were dispatched to a complaint of a suspicious vehicle parked on Dunmore Avenue, Chippingham, shortly before 4am.
The officers found a man inside a vehicle parked near a vacant lot and ordered him out.
The report read: “Once on the outside, he charged at one of the officers. The officer attempted to evade his oncoming aggression. However, the suspect continued and attempted to disarm the officer.
“Being aware of the threat to his life, the officer discharged his service weapon at the suspect, hitting him in the upper body.”
The RBDF extended condolences to Adderley’s family, though the organization did not speak to the circumstances surrounding his death.
When contacted, Minister of National Security Wayne Munroe confirmed the man killed was an RBDF officer, but did not speak beyond that.
“The matter is being investigated,” he said.
In a joint statement last night, the Ministry of National Security, Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF) and RBDF said video footage from a police body-worn camera capturing the incident has been viewed by both agencies and is “consistent with the accounts of the officers”.
Adderley, a veteran of 14 years, enlisted in the RBDF in 2008.
In his latest post, he served in the Southern Command.
The RBDF called the marine a “dedicated and committed individual”.
The marine had training in non-lethal force weapons.
“Adderley was a highly qualified training Instructor,” the RBDF said, adding that the marine was a recipient of the minister of national security’s commendations for his role in the planning and execution of the 2018 training course Exercise Trade Winds and humanitarian efforts on Abaco following the passage of Hurricane Dorian in 2019.
The RBDF also said Adderley sought to ensure all those around him benefitted from his knowledge and experience.
“May God’s grace and peace comfort the family during this time of bereavement,” the RBDF said.
Kimsley Ferguson, a purported squad mate of the fallen marine, said: “Never felt so numb in my life. Rodney Adderley, wake up, squaddie. You were the glue to 45.”
In a purported voice note speaking to the upcoming new year, Adderley told the recipients he hopes they “see the hand of the Lord move mightily in your lives in 2022”.
“We should now all be experts in recognizing as well as counteracting all of the attacks, diversions and distractions that the enemy tries to put in our lives based on what we experienced in 2021,” the voice note said.
“But we will not fall prey or victim to the strategies of the enemy in 2022.
“We have now upgraded.
“We are now moving in the spirit where we have now become one with Lord and we are doing the things God wants us to do.”
In the approximately two-minute voice note, the speaker purported to be the marine said he believes each person is called upon to do great things in the name of the Lord and encouraged recipients to embrace their problems with grace, knowing that “iron sharpens iron”.
Chick Mackey, a member of the Least of These project, of which Adderley was a founding member, said the marine was a “most willing and active servant in this organization”. The group was established to bring relief, assistance and the gospel to the public.
“He spearheaded our community and spiritual outreach for a good while,” Mackey said.
“His words were: ‘Big man, kingdom business first.’ To all who knew and loved him, God’s strength.
“We ran for the hills and never looked back. We left the valley for the mountain top. He loved this group confession. ‘Til then, Brother Rod, ’til then.”
