The Tribune

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Chief Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

NIMROD Thompson, 41, lost his life following a workplace altercation that turned deadly, leaving his family grieving the death of another young relative taken too soon.

Thompson, affectionately known as “Nimmy” from the Montel Heights community, was found dead with head injuries outside a home near Minnie Street early Saturday morning. 

Police said he and another man were involved in a fight at a nearby bar that escalated. During the altercation, Thompson reportedly struck the man with a sharp object.

The injured man left the scene, but as Thompson was leaving the area, he was approached by a gunman who shot him before fleeing.

Police later arrested a 22-year-old suspect with facial injuries at the hospital.

Thompson’s killing came just weeks before he was set to celebrate his 42nd birthday.

Relatives said he lost his parents at a young age due to natural causes and was raised by his grandparents. 

Although Thompson had a troubled past, he reportedly turned his life around several years ago.

“He’s really made a 360 and had a clean slate and was on his way, so at this point of time, it’s a saddened event,” his cousin, who declined to give her name, told The Tribune. 

His death is a blow to the close-knit family, who are still mourning the loss of a cousin who was killed at a club around the same time last year. 

“We’re all (four) sisters’ children and we all grew up close because we didn’t have parents,” the cousin said. “Back in time, our parents died when we were very small and I mean like under ten and we would survive between our grandparents in Montel Heights.

“Our grandparents are all dead now. It’s basically just cousins. We only have one aunty alive in our whole generation.”

The family is unsure what sparked the fight, despite unconfirmed reports that the men were arguing over a parking space.

Photos of the man Thompson allegedly fought with circulated online, showing him bruised and bloody.

However, the family claimed they were told that the man was the one who attacked Thompson first.

“It’s sad. It’s senseless,” the cousin said, “I’m still numb because it’s mind-baffling for people to just wake up and make up their mind that they gone kill someone.” 

Relatives described Thompson as a passive, well-loved person who would do anything for his family.

They recalled seeing him for the last time late Friday evening at the house, just moments before he left for work.

His death brings the country’s murder count to 117 for the year, according to The Tribune’s records.