The Tribune

By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

A MAN who was facing a murder charge was fatally shot on Friday.

According to police, initial reports indicate that shortly before 10pm, a group of men were standing on Milton Street when they heard the sound of what seemed to be gunshots.

“Moments later, four of the men realised that they were shot about the body,” police said. “They were all transported to the hospital via private vehicle. One of the victims later succumbed to his injuries and the others are all listed in serious, but stable condition.”

A relative identified the deceased as Elvardo Deveaux, 22, and said he was facing a murder and firearm matter in court before he was shot.

In 2018, Deveaux, who was 19 at the time, was accused with two others for the January 19 murder of Craig Trevor Smith on Maxwell Lane.

It was reported at the time that during the arraignment, one of the co-accused tearfully said from his seat: “Bey, they know we ain’t kill no one, dog.”

The young father was also arraigned on two counts of threats of death. It is alleged that on January 18, 2018, being concerned with others, he threatened Randol Armbrister and Claudeshia Ray. Deveaux pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Deveaux’s mother, Carla Culmer, said her son was released from prison last year after spending two years on remand. She said he was released on bail with an ankle bracelet, but it was later removed.

“(He) had on (an) ankle bracelet on his foot and because no one was really hiring him, you know he had a young daughter to take care of…..Had to get the ankle bracelet removed so he could go out there and try to do one or two things,” she said.

She said her son was not being monitored at the time of his death.

The mother noted they all lived in the Bain and Grants Town area, but his child’s mother lived near the area of Quakoo Street.

“It was even a shock to me to know that he was even out because before I left he said he didn’t feel like going anywhere and he didn’t feel well,” Ms Culmer said. “That’s the last conversation I had with him.”

She recalled hearing gunshots from home and then a friend who heard her son had also been shot shouted for her to come outside.

“She heard her son get shot along with my son because her son was also one of the guys who got shot. So we jumped in our car. ….We ended up by the hospital and by the way we didn’t know what was going on. I told them ‘I think my son, at least I heard my son was shot and he was brought to the hospital.’

After waiting for some time at the hospital, she learned her son had died.

“. . .All I could remember was the person saying he’s deceased and it felt like the ground just opened up (and) swallowed me,” she said.

A graphic video of what appeared to be the victim covered in blood and bleeding out on the street made its way on social media. The caption indicated the scene was a shooting in the Quakoo Street area.

The footage showed a group of people trying to help the man on the ground with a woman looking as though she was applying pressure to his wounds and trying to keep him awake.

Ms Culmer said she had not watched the video.

She said having such a video on social media made her emotional.

“That was the most hurtful thing for me because the time everybody had to be recording, that could have been the time for somebody to take him to the hospital. The ambulance was taking too long.

“Instead of people helping, they just standing around recording to put it out there on social media. That was the most painful experience for me. I didn’t get to watch it but just by sounds of people playing it around me and then hearing (it was painful).”

Asked what she wanted people to remember about her son, she said through tears: “All I know is that they take my baby from me.”