And the families claimed that the young men had come off of the motorcycle, turned around with their hands up, to face the cops. Yesterday, ComPol said that the young men were at some point facing the cops, but didn't elaborate. And this morning, he chastised 7News for what he called, misconstruing his words.
Chester Williams, Commissioner Of Police
"I was not too happy with your reporting last night on the news because the news last night, channel 7 said that the police were denying that there was a face-to-face with these youngsters. In my interview I did say it, I did say it but again for whatever it was you all said that we denied it which is not true but yes, and I will say what I said yesterday in the interview, at one point the police mobile overtook the two persons on the motorcycle and they did have that face to face confrontation and according to what the young man is saying, is that when they had that confrontation he put his hand up in the air so that the police could see that he was not armed. The police had the gun pointed at him and fearing for what the police would have done they got back on the cycle, right? That was also collaborated by one of the police officers who did say that yes, they had that face-to-face confrontation. So, there is no doubt as to that confrontation."
But his own answer to our question during the press conference yesterday left a lot to interpretation, which may have caused the confusion.
Courtney Menzies:
"Mr Jones mentioned that the men, or the deceased was shot in the back, he had a gunshot wound in the back, the family alleges that the men got off the motorcycle and turned around to face the officers."
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"I know that yes at a certain point in time, the police mobile did overtake the two individuals on the motorcycle and the police would then be in front of them thereafter they took off again so yes in terms of them facing the police, it did happen. But they subsequently took off again."
