PHILIPSBURG–Police continue to investigate Thursday’s apparent attempted robbery and shooting at Econo Food Supermarket, as they received word that one of the suspects involved passed away in the Emergency Room (ER) on Friday morning.
The not-yet-identified man died at the Sint Maarten Medical Center (SMMC) as a result of injuries sustained when he and his companion were both shot by an off-duty policewoman on the scene. The suspect’s body has meanwhile been confiscated for further investigation.
Police Chief Carl John and his management-team will give full cooperation to legally required investigation conducted by the National Detectives (“Landsrecherche”) in cases where service weapons are used by authorities.
According to police on Friday, the chief definitely stand firmly behind the heroic actions taken by the officer to protect those in supermarket at time of the alleged assault. “The officer’s action clearly shows that the job of police is not as simple as it may seem and also shows how officers go beyond the call of duty by putting their life on the line to protect the community and the visitors to the island.”
The policewoman in question was at the establishment while the crime was taking place and decided not to back down, but instead confronted both armed suspects using her regulation firearm. She shot and apprehended both suspects.
The Police Corps sent out a stern warning to youngsters getting involved in any criminal activity to refrain from doing so, because the authorities will do everything within boundaries the laws to arrest you and bring you to justice. “The police will never stop and without any doubt continue to serve and protect the community of St. Maarten and the visitors to the island to the best of our ability.”
The corps also warned that threatening employees of the organization as a whole or as individual is unacceptable. This criminal behavior will not be tolerated and legal actions will immediately be taken against people guilty of such.
In the meantime they are making sure the officer in question receives all the necessary support and psychological guidance.
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/88900-one-shot-suspect-dies
Good! Another criminal less in society!
Do not have any mercy for robbers – especially armed robbers – as they do not have any respect or mercy towards their victims. By definition robbers are criminals who are too lazy to work for them selves and make an earnest living. They prey on others hard work and earnings to steal so that they can live in luxury. Or so they think.
The same counts for the many hundreds of criminals (mostly young guys) that drive around dangerously on stolen scooters swooping through traffic and doing wheelies. We all know that those skeletons (scooters stripped from their covers) are stolen. We see them EVERYDAY and police isn’t doing ANYTHING against it. This confirms to the young criminals that they can steal scooters and ride them unpunished. The next easy step is to do an armed robbery as they have experienced that they can get away with crime. Once in a while these criminals are killed in traffic due to dangerous driving or – like in the robbery mentioned above -killed otherwise. Have no mercy! The family of killed criminals should realize they have failed seriously in raising their child.
As a community we should think about this and come up with a plan to educate parents on how to raise your child and look for signs of early criminal activities. Perhaps only then criminal activities will go down and respect for other peoples money and property will go up.
PS: Finish your education and learn a trade so you can make your own money instead of stealing it from others who did finish their education and worked hard for their earnings.
Good riddance