TikToker’s family blame cops for his crash death
When Jaheim Morrison purchased his motorcycle last Friday, his aim was to get it registered to a courier service so he could earn an additional income.
The 19-year-old TikToker, who goes by the name Kemar YG, used his earnings from creating content on the platform to make the purchase. Just last week, he told his younger sister Kiara that he was going to take care of her and make their lives comfortable. But Jaheim will never get a chance to fulfil his promise. He died on Saturday night following a police chase along Woodpecker Avenue in Kingston 11. Another man as well as a few police officers also sustained injures.
When THE STAR visited the Cockburn Gardens community yesterday, the police were clearing a roadblock that the residents had mounted to protest Jaheim's death. They allege that officers used their vehicle to knock the men off the motorcycle. Over on Guava Road, some of Jaheim's loved ones were preparing for a candlelight vigil. Among them was his father Martin Morrison. His wore a weary expression as he set aside a bag with sprat and other food items.
"A taxi mi drive and sometimes I give them the boss money and have to go hustle it back after. Mi had sleepless nights and when mi member how sometimes mi have to park and come cook for dem and go for dem a school and now mi son just dead like that," Morrison lamented.
According to police reports, lawmen from the St Andrew South operations section were on patrol in the Cockburn Gardens area when they observed a motorcycle carrying a pillion passenger who was behaving suspiciously. The officers signalled the motorcycle to stop using flashing lights, sirens, and horns. When the driver did not comply, a pursuit ensued along Woodpecker Avenue. During the pursuit, the driver reportedly lost control of the motorcycle, leading to the collision. The police vehicle then collided with a wall while attempting to avoid the motorcycle. The Jamaica Constabulary Force extended its sympathies to Jaheim's family and friends, as well as to those injured. Morrison said while he acknowledged the gesture, he remains adamant that his son was chased and struck from his motorcycle and killed in cold blood.
"Sympathy cannot bring back my son but I accept it if it is coming from the bigger head. What I want is for the officers involved to talk the truth about what really happened. We are going to block the road every day until we get the attention. [A senior cop] say he is behind me 100 per cent and he did speak to us nice to be honest. If his actions match up to his words, I believe we will get justice," he said.
The distraught father said when got news that Jaheim was in an accident, he initially thought he received a few scrapes and bruises as he had fallen of motorcycles before.
"Mi daughter get a call say him get lick off his bike. Mi go the hospital about 2 a.m. and mi never did a expect dis. Mi nuh have a dollar for this," he said.
"A bicycle mi son a come from eno until him get a work at the wholesale and buy one bike and sell it then buy a next one, and now him decide to buy a bike and put inna business and him just move it off for one night," Morrison added.
Another relative recalled rushing from his yard when he heard the commotion and was shocked when he got word that his family member was involved.
"He was crying for his chest and belly while the other guy wasn't moving. One a di time him say 'If mi nuh make it, tell mi family mi love dem'," the relative said. A neighbour described Jaheim as a well mannered and jovial youth.
"You just couldn't be sad around him. He was always cracking jokes and was a good person to be around. When yuh see the entire community come out and block the road before the family, yuh must know how good he was," she said.