The father of a 24-year-old construction worker shot dead by police in Tobago’s Buccoo district has accused officers of murdering his son, calling for justice after the incident on October 8. Jamal ‘Shilo’ Clarke, a resident of Buccoo, was one of two men killed when police opened fire on a silver Aqua motorcar travelling along Golden Grove Road shortly before 6 p.m. The other suspect died later at Scarborough General Hospital, while one officer was injured in the exchange.
Clarke’s father, Levi Clarke, told the Trinidad Express that his son was unarmed and had no criminal record. He described the moments before the shooting, saying his son had just returned home to relax with his younger brother before going for a bath. ‘He take out his clothes, we sit down relaxing… laughing and talking, not knowing it was the last time I was seeing my son,’ Clarke recounted. He questioned how police could justify shooting an unarmed youth, given the disparity in firepower, and demanded evidence of a weapon.
‘Every youth man them does have their ways, but he had no gun or nothing like that they talking about,’ Clarke said. ‘I want justice for my little youth man. They murder my youth man… how could a youth man with one gun see police with so much weapon and look to fire on them?’ He also expressed disbelief at the brutality of the shooting, describing his son’s body as ‘like a zombie, blood running down all my son’s face.’
Clarke plans to file a complaint with the Police Complaints Authority, insisting justice must be served. ‘They murder my youth man, but God is the boss,’ he said. ‘I will get justice.’ The incident marks the first police-related killing in Tobago this year, bringing the national total to 33 for 2026.
Police confirmed the vehicle was under surveillance and that Clarke was ‘known to them,’ though they did not elaborate. Senior Superintendent Rodhil Kirk stated that the second suspect’s identity would be released once relatives confirmed the body. Local representative Keigon Denoon expressed sadness over Clarke’s death, calling for vigilance against crime while condemning the loss of life.
The tragedy has left Clarke’s 15-year-old son struggling to process the loss of his brother. The family’s grief underscores growing concerns over police use of force in Tobago, where allegations of excessive violence persist.