The Tribune

By LETRE SWEETING

lsweeting@tribunemedia.net

THE 38-year-old man who was fatally shot by an off duty police officer after allegedly trying to rob a woman of her car was yesterday described as an “awesome father” of eight and a “decent person”.

Jonelle Rahming, who shares a special needs son with the victim - Jamal Chino James Armbrister - told The Tribune she had concerns about the reported circumstances under which he died.

Armbrister, who police said was being electronically monitored and on bail for murder, was shot in an alleged botched armed robbery attempt.

Police said on Saturday shortly after 8pm a woman who had just arrived at her residence on Barbados Avenue, Elizabeth Estates, was approached by a man armed with a handgun, who demanded the keys to her vehicle.

The woman screamed, alerting her husband, an off-duty police officer.

The off-duty officer confronted the armed man and while attempting to disarm him, the 38-year-old was fatally shot. His weapon was confiscated by police.

According to Ms Rahming, Armbrister was a father of eight who took care of all of his children.

“Jamal had eight children,” Ms Rahming said. “Three of them are boys, the rest are girls and he took really good care of those children.

“My son is his oldest. My son is 21. I think his baby is five or six, but my son is the eldest child and my son is right now partially paralyzed and he (Jamal) took really good care of him as well. He was a really really decent person,” she said.

“Jamal was an awesome person. He loved Junkanoo. He was one of the lead bass drummers in the Valley Boys. He loved Junkanoo. He literally loved Junkanoo,” Ms Rahming added.

However, she said she felt there was more to the incident that took his life than what has been reported.

“All the talks, I feel like they literally lied on him, because Jamal is not that type of person to be honest with you. I feel like something else happened,” she said.

“Yes, he had some faults, because he was caught up with the wrong crowd and got accused of a murder that somebody else did. And he wasn’t even in the vicinity and he ended up getting locked up.

“But he only spent two months (in prison). So, that goes to show, I’m sure that when you don’t have no evidence against somebody they would let you out quick on bail or whatever.”