Residents insist man killed by cops was no bad man

As she sat inside her late son’s bar on Wellington Street in Kingston, Venetia Thomas wore a weary expression – her eyes still swollen from crying.

Around her, a group consisting of mostly women gave their recollection of Amani ‘Bling Dawg’ Malcolm, who was fatally shot by members of the security forces last week. Every few minutes, Thomas’ frown was transformed into a smile, but the pain in her eyes remained evident. She told THE STAR that Malcolm was in a jubilant mood before he was killed, heading to a friend’s party.

“Mi and him was very close and, anything mi ask him for, mi get it. He was here with me and say him ago support the youth and him take $5,000 from mi and say him soon come back. Mi end up drop asleep and den mi hear mi phone start ring off and people a tell mi say dem just kill Bling Dawg outta road. Mi come down the step and walk a little distance and sit down and just bawl mi heart out. Right now, mi pressure high bad,” she said.

According to reports from the police, a team of lawmen was on mobile patrol along North Street when its members encountered Malcolm. Police said an armed confrontation developed during which Malcolm allegedly produced a firearm and pointed it at a lawman. A physical struggle reportedly developed between Malcolm and the cop, during which members of the police team fired shots, injuring Malcolm. Police took him to the Kingston Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The police have identified Malcolm as the alleged leader of the One A Way gang based in Denham Town. He was also on bail for gun- and robbery-related charges. However, residents, who mounted fiery roadblocks along North Street on Saturday in protest, stated that Malcolm was not given the ‘don’ title because of illegal activities, but because of his ability to maintain peace within the space.

“Inna the garrison, when yuh try to elevate and make the community nice, people will classify yuh as don. That was all Bling Dawg do and that was to ensure say no war nah gwan. Him keep party and boxing events and make sure the place nice. Him give back to the community a lot. He was a trying youth. Him was not a gunman, him just uplift the place and make peace gwan,” a woman said.

According to the Independent Commission of Investigations, there have been 221 fatal police shootings in 2027.