COMFORT, Manchester — The mother of alleged gangster cop Constable Mario Thomas says her son was targeted multiple times prior to him being chased and gunned down here on Tuesday night.

“Three times [they attempted to take] his life. They shot up my car in George’s Valley…,” said Dallary Senior Stephens, the mother of the slain cop, hours after his body was found in bushes.

She said the firearm licence issued to Thomas had been revoked after he was interdicted in 2020. “He had a licensed firearm and they took [it]. Is like they left him out here for them to kill him and, see, they killed him,” added Senior Stephens as she claimed her slain son was not involved in any wrongdoing.

But in a statement on Wednesday the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) said Thomas had been interdicted from duty since September 29, 2020. According to the JCF, “Constable Thomas had been interdicted following his involvement in an alleged case of murder and other serious crimes”. According to the police, Thomas’s body was found in bushes Wednesday morning following a shooting incident on Tuesday night.

A police source told the Jamaica Observer that about 10:30 pm on Tuesday, Thomas was seen purchasing an item at a shop in Comfort when he was attacked by an armed man. Thomas attempted to escape his attacker but was chased and shot at again. The police said several 9mm spent casings and a vehicle with apparent bullet holes were found at the scene. The Major Investigation Division of the JCF is probing Thomas’ murder.On Wednesday his distraught mother was adamant that he was not a criminal. “He was only in Manchester because he was on interdiction. He has never served in Manchester. He served in Kingston. He was a part of the special operations team,” said Senior Stephens. She said Thomas was targeted multiple times including at a bar he operated.“He opened a bar a few years ago [but] dem tek set on him so much [that] he closed down that bar and came to Landsettlement (Manchester) weh him born in his grandmother’s dining room. He opened a bar around the road and gunman come and hold gun at his head. Dem come back and dem shoot up the bar. Him lock down the bar.

“His car was not in service and I gave him my car to use… On his way to Woodlawn (Manchester) he stopped at George’s Valley square and they shot up my car. Me nuh see nuh police come at my yard. Me nuh hear nothing… This is how unuh treat a serving member,” added Senior Stephens.

In December 2022, Thomas was taken into police custody following an armed robbery and double murder at a supermarket in Porus, Manchester. Jin Sian Ye, a Chinese national who was one of the proprietors of the supermarket, and a bystander Alphanso Cohen, were killed in that incident.But Senior Stephens claimed her son was wrongfully accused in that incident.“Some shooting gwaan a Porus. Them say a mi son do it… mi son hate criminal. Mi son hate gunman,” she said.Senior Stephens added that she has been seeking to clear her son’s name following the numerous accusations against him, and she feared his life was in danger.“I went to the police commissioner’s office and didn’t get any justice, and from there is one officer kept in touch with me after I went up there and let them know what was happening here in Manchester with my son who was not a criminal,” said Senior Stephens as she recounted her last moment with her son.“Mi see mi son at 6:59 pm (Tuesday). Mi call him and said you need to come for your dinner. He said ‘yes, Mommy, mi soon come. Mi ago drop off something’. Mi call him and couldn’t get no answer… Mi start get paranoid,” she said.When the Observer visited the murder scene in Breezy Hill, Comfort, on Wednesday residents were tight-lipped following the incident which is being investigated by the Major Investigation Division.