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DOMINICAN REPUBLIC/ PHILIPSBURG:---- Bike Patrol Gamali Benjamin who was shot by armed bandits on Wednesday is brain dead and non-responsive but is kept alive on life support his father Gilbert Benjamin told his contact on St. Maarten early Friday morning. The father of the wounded officer who travelled to the Dominican Republic Thursday evening with his son said that the news on his son is not at all good after a complete evaluation was done in the Dominican Republic Thursday night.Businessman Michael Ferrier who is in contact with Mr. Benjamin said that after speaking to the father he was informed that Officer Benjamin is brain dead and non-responsive. Ferrier said the family of the wounded officer is now considering their options. One of which might be to fly him back to St. Maarten on life support or whether or not they should take off the life support there in the Dominican Republic.It is most likely that the relatives would bring back the wounded officer as early as today (Friday) in order for them to remove the life support among his friends, families and colleagues. Further information provided to SMN News states that KPSM is working closely with the relatives of Officer Gamali Benjamin and they have taken the decision to bring him back to St. Maarten on life support and both family and KPSM along with officer Benjamin's colleagues will decide when is a good moment for them to remove the life support. When Police Officers got this news on Friday morning they all got emotional. It is further understood that management of KPSM is working on getting professional help for the men in blue that are currently suffering from the tragic event that transpired on Wednesday.Latest information recieved states that the Air Ambulance with land at the Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIAE) with wounded now brain dead bike patrol Gamali Benjamin at 12;20pm. Several police cars with colleagues of the slain cop is already at PJIAE waiting for the arrival of their colleague who will soon be taken off life support.
As the air ambulance landed at PJIAE with Officer Benjamin at least five police vehicles surrounded the aircraft and ambulance that was at PJIAE waiting for their colleague. It took the ambulance personnel quite some time to remove the slain officer from the aircraft and placing him in the ambulance. At this moment Officer Benjamin is at ICU ward of the St. Maarten Medical Center where he is surrounded by his relatives and colleagues who would decide when they will take him off the life support. SMN News learnt that Chief Commissioner of Police Peter de Witte was among those at PJIAE to receive the wounded officer and he is currently at the St. Maarten Medical Center with several other officers that are highly emotional. SMN News will bring you more information on the condition and decisions taken by the relatives and colleagues of KPSM later today.
