Gambia embassy staff in Washington confirmed to forgambia News the death of Modou Lamin Ceesay, a Gambian killed in a police shootout in Gwinnett County, Georgia. Gwinnette County is twenty-eight miles (48 kilometers) outside Atlanta where many Gambians live.
Police reports in the area, according to WSB-TV Channel-2 of Atlanta say police claim the deceased refused to stop upon command by police. A subsequent chase led to ushering in a swat team where one swat member fired a round. Police alleged the victim, at one point held out a gun, the same repetitive explanation inherent of police statements whenever killings occur.
We contacted the Gambia Embassy staff to shed light on the sad development which occurred Friday, May 29th at around 04:00am local time. Mr. Lamin Saidykhan, an information and cultural attache at the Gambian Embassy in Washington said the details of the shooting that killed Mr. Ceesay are still sketchy and they “are still trying to gather facts.”
Mr. Saidykhan told forGambia that he was just on the phone with the father of the deceased before our call came. He reiterated how we Gambians are all related somehow, adding that he just realized that he and the deceased were related. The deceased, he added was part of the Ceesays from Kudang in the Niamina area of The Gambia.
While the police version is still in the airwaves as well as print of the local press, Mr. Saidykhan told forGambia that, “that’s the police version,” and the embassy hasn’t yet had any conclusive details of the unfortunate development for the Gambian community both in Atlanta and other parts of the country.
“We have been in contact with our honorary consul in Atlanta who has been updating us continuously, Mr. Saidykhan concluded. ForGambia will continue to monitor developments regarding this sad news. We join in prayers and mourning with both the Gambia Embassy and most respectfully, the family of the late Ceesay.
Meanwhile, protests still continue in major cities across the USA following the brutal murder of 46 year old African American George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota recently. No immediate arrests were made even though graphic videos, not from police, show a policeman pressing his knees bilaterally on Mr. Floyd as he begged for his last gasp.
Later, one man in connection with the murder was arrested while three other suspects still remain free. Unfortunately for Gambia’s Modou Lamin Ceesay, there may be no available videos. But even if there were, like in the cases of George Floyd (killed while in cuffs with police kneeling on his neck) and Ahmaud Arbery (killed while jogging in the street), would there be a thorough, unbiased investigation, arrests, and proportionate charges?
