Relatives and friends of 20-year-old Jimoy Suckoo are raising questions about the circumstances surrounding her fatal shooting in a Clarendon hotel room, reportedly involving her police boyfriend’s service weapon. They are calling for a thorough investigation to uncover the truth.
“The detective at May Pen told me she was shot on her left side, below her breast. But when I identified the body at Witter and Sons Funeral Home, I saw a gunshot wound on her face, between her nose and upper lip,” said her distraught mother, Nadine Suckoo, speaking to the Jamaica Observer from her home in St. Elizabeth. “This doesn’t look right at all.”
A Life Cut Short
Jimoy, affectionately called Janay or Nay, was a bartender living in Paradise, Westmoreland. Her godmother, Joan Barnes, broke down in tears as she described Jimoy’s character.
“She didn’t deserve to die like this. Nice pickney, friendly, decent, loved by everyone in the community,” Barnes wept. “We need the Government of Jamaica and Indecom [Independent Commission of Investigations] to step in.”
The family’s concerns have been exacerbated by claims from a neighbor that there was a tense phone exchange between Jimoy and her boyfriend the day before the incident.
Conflicting Accounts
According to police reports, Jimoy and her boyfriend, a 28-year-old police constable, were at Hotel Versalles in May Pen when she sustained a gunshot wound to her chest from his Glock pistol.
The constable initially claimed the firearm was placed on the bed where Jimoy was lying. While his back was turned, he reportedly heard a loud explosion and turned to find she had been shot.
Later, he provided a different account, stating that he accidentally discharged the weapon while removing it from his leg holster to secure it. He claimed the pistol slipped from his hand, and as he tried to catch it, the gun fired.
Jimoy was taken to May Pen Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Ongoing Investigation
Due to the inconsistencies in the constable’s statements, authorities plan to question him further. Indecom has launched an investigation to determine the events leading to the shooting.
In a statement, Indecom said, “The incident scene was examined, and evidential material recovered, processed, and packaged. The hands of both the deceased and the officer were swabbed for gunshot residue. The concerned officer has been served with a Section 21 Notice under the Independent Commission of Investigations Act, 2010, and an interview will be scheduled.”
Unanswered Questions
Adding to the family’s distress, Nadine Suckoo revealed that one of her daughter’s two iPhones remains missing. “The other phone is active on social media. We want that phone,” she demanded.
As the investigation continues, Jimoy’s family and friends are determined to seek justice, ensuring that all circumstances surrounding her death are brought to light.
