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.