BELVEDERE:-- The detective department is currently investigating a fatal shooting in Happy Estate Belvedere. The shooting is said to have taken place around 7pm Wednesday evening. Police Spokesman Ricardo Henson said that a group of young men that were armed attacked an off-duty police officer in the area. Henson said based on information he received during the attack someone asked " do you want me to shoot you." The police spokesman said shortly after that shots were fired by the group of young men and the off duty officer defended himself by firing back shots at his attackers. "There were an exchange of bullets by the group and the officer defended himself." Henson said the detectives and forensic department are currently on the scene investigating the fatal shooting.
However, the Landsreacherche quickly took over the investigation when it was determined that a police officer was involved in the incident which led to the death of a young man that lives in Belvedere. At this current moment the police spokesman said he cannot say if the fatal shot was fired by the off duty police officer or by someone that was among the group of men.
Eyewitnesses identified the police officer as Rishmer York who also lives in the area. One eyewitness said that the officer in question was having problems with the group of young men that is always loitering in the Belvedere area. An eye witness said that the officer heard a commotion and he came out of to see what was happening when someone from the group shot at a young man who recently got out of prison and is also wanted by police. The eyewitness said that the young man that was killed had just reached home when he was shot to death. The group of young men then took off after the fatal shooting.
The dead man has been identified as Akeem Isidora, he was involved in a fatal stabbing that left a 22 year old Otmar Leonard from French Quarter dead some two years ago, Isidora just recently got out of prison and was wanted by police for another crime.
Residents Claim that Officer is a Cold Blooded Killer.
Several residents of Happy Estate Belvedere contacted SMN News on Thursday morning and stated that the statements made by Police Spokesman Ricardo Henson on the brutal murder in Happy Estate on Wednesday night are completely false. The residents said that Akeem Isidora was killed innocently by Officer Rishmer York. "First of all there was no gang loitering in Happy Estate at the time of the shooting, secondly Akeem Isdora recently came back from the Netherlands on vacation and not recently released from prison" one resident told SMN News. The woman said she was among the persons Akeem was showing his things that he bought when he was killed right before her eyes. I don't know how I will work today because I could not sleep all night. I saw an Officer killed a young man innocently right before my eyes. Officer York pulled his service weapon on Akeem earlier in the day on Wednesday and then around 7pm he approached Akeem who was showing the neighbors the things he bought to go back to school when York approached him and shot him three times then took off in his red car leaving the young man to die on the ground." The resident said that York approached Akeem once and asked him for his identification, then yesterday he pulled his service weapon at him and by nightfall he killed the young man who was due to return to the Netherlands on March 12th 2015 where he is attending school. This officer killed someone in cold blood in front of children that has to go to school this morning." The statements made by Police Spokesman Ricardo Henson is totally false and we expect the police to correct the false statements. There was no exchange in shots. The only person that fired three shots and killed Akeem Isdora in cold blood is an officer of KPSM."
SMN News learnt that York left the scene and went to the Philipsburg Police Station where he was giving his colleagues a false story forgetting that a number or persons including children saw what he did prior to speeding off. An officer who was working yesterday afternoon said that while York was telling his tale two detectives from the Landsreacherche came to the station and took him upstairs and started to question him.
The residents said that York is a troublemaker in Belvedere, almost everyone in the area has a problem with him.
Another well-known resident of St. Peters told SMN News that Officer York ill-treated him while conducting a road control even though he had all his documents in-tact. The resident said when he went to the Police Internal Affairs to file a complaint a relative of York was appointed to take his complaint and he refused because York's father and uncles are officers at KPSM. He said that he had to leave and find another officer that works at KPSM Internal Affairs and filed his complaint but to date nothing has happened.
Prosecutor Tineke Kamps confirmed on Thursday that the officer was questioned by detectives but was not arrested.
