Families demand justice after police shooting at Mahaicony leaves two dead

By Khamisi Slowe

The fatal shootings of a mentally ill man and another man by police on Wednesday in Airy Hall, Mahaicony, have left two families devastated, with some eyewitnesses accusing the police of excessive use of force and negligence.

The family of Roger Erwyn Pierre, the 55-year-old mentally ill man fatally shot by police wants answers as questions linger about the events leading up to his death. Pierre’s mother, Pamela De Silva, described him as a troubled yet loving son who battled with mental health issues and drug addiction for most of his life.

De Silva recounted her son’s struggles in an interview yesterday with Stabroek News. “He was a pleasant child, but eventually, he became a drug addict,” she shared. “Whenever he got money, he would go and smoke. He would behave badly at home, but never to outsiders. I always prayed about it, asking God to see me through.”