After 9-year-old boy's death, West Coast community is incensed by news of possible public violence arrests

Cartridges found at scene following shooting of Leo Williams on Friday 31 July. (Photo: David Rossouw)

By Vincent Cruywagen

20 Aug 2020

‘Leo is not even buried and already the police threaten to arrest our people. The message of the community is clear that war is going to break out if they arrest residents.’

Shortly after Leo Williams’ legal guardian and biological mother and father, accompanied by community leaders, identified the body of the nine-year-old at a mortuary, they received information that there is a police list with the names of community members who will be arrested in connection with “public violence” at the time of the child’s fatal shooting.

Nine-year-old Leo Williams. (Photo: supplied)

Leo was caught in the crossfire of community protests in St Helena Bay on the West Coast at the end of July, with investigations yet to establish who fired the fatal shots.

Violent skirmishes erupted between police and residents in Laingville, St Helena Bay on Friday 31 July. Video footage reveals that at about 8pm four policemen who, metres behind a larger group of police pushing protesters back, fired eight shots – police claim they were rubber bullets – into the corrugated structure in which Leo and his friends were watching TV.

Leo sustained a single head wound and slumped to the floor in a pool of blood.

Cartridges found at the scene after the shooting of Leo Williams on Friday 31 July. (Photo: David Rossouw)

There are eight holes in the corrugated structure and it’s being asked whether rubber bullets or live rounds pierced the structure. Members from the forensic police unit allegedly removed live ammunition and rubber bullet cartridges from the scene, which is part of a murder investigation, after the little boy died from his injuries at the Red Cross Children’s Hospital in Cape Town on Monday 17 August.

On Wednesday, Leo’s legal guardian, Cathy Thomas, his biological mother, Lucille Williams, and his father, Adrian Thomas, joined by community leaders Thyrone Williams and Clarence Duiker, identified Leo’s body at the Salt River mortuary.

“My son looked like he’s sleeping, looks at peace and only now does his death really sink in,” Williams said.

His mother said: “I can’t take it anymore. All I want to hear is who shot and killed my son.”

Shortly after this, Thyrone received news that members of the community would possibly be arrested in connection with the protest of Friday 31 July. He engaged on WhatsApp with the St Helena Bay police regarding a list containing names of people who will be arrested. Western Cape police did not reply to an urgent inquiry from Maverick Citizen regarding the list.

Thyrone said detectives had made enquiries regarding the names, addresses and whereabouts of those who will allegedly be arrested on charges of public violence.

The news has elicited bitter remarks from some residents.

“The station commander must reverse his decision if he knows what is good for him. If they want to arrest residents, then the police must be prepared to carry the consequences,” said one.

Thyrone views the threat of arrest as scare tactics to intimidate people not to cooperate with the investigation by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) into the death of Leo.

“Our people will not be intimidated and we maintain that a police officer shot Leo,” Thyrone said.

“On the night of the incident, I received a phone call about Leo’s shooting. I rushed to his house but was stopped by a large contingency of police who blocked the road leading to Leo’s place. I showed them the photo of Leo lying in a pool of blood and was allowed through. So, how can SAPS claim their forces have withdrawn from the area when Leo was shot?

“Leo is not even buried and already the police threaten to arrest our people. The message of the community is clear that war is going to break out if they arrest residents,” Thyrone said.

South African Human Rights Commissioner Chris Nissen, who has been mediating between Laingville, Steenberg Cove and Stompneus Bay residents and the Saldanha Bay Municipality, said the police had told him there won’t be any arrests during this time of mourning.

“SAPS have given me the undertaking that no arrests will take place. Let us allow the family and residents to mourn. SAPS must remember that their officers are also implicated in the matter relating to the death of Leo. We must also remember there are outstanding housing issues that need to be addressed and we will look at these aspects after the funeral,” Nissen said.

At the time of Leo’s death, a bullet was lodged in his brain. Laingville residents are adamant that police fired the shot, but police management has denied this, adding that their officers had withdrawn from the area when the boy was shot.

The bullet, which will be removed during an autopsy on Friday 21 August, will be handed to an investigation officer from IPID, who will send it for a ballistic test to determine from which gun it was fired.

IPID investigating officers have downloaded a video from Thyrone’s phone showing four police officers firing shots at the corrugated structure in which Leo was at the time of the shooting. They will also download various pictures that were taken at the scene.

Next week IPID will be back in Laingville to interview Leo’s uncle, Angus Thomas, and his wife, Luzelle Uithaler, who were in the shack at the time of the shooting, as well as the people who tried to save the boy while he was lying motionless in a pool of blood.

IPID spokesperson Ndileka Cola confirmed that IPID is investigating a death as a result of police action.

A memorial service will be held on Monday 24 August at the school Leo attended. Leo will be laid to rest on Saturday 29 August. DM/MC

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