Popular Tattoo Artist ‘Wrongfully Beaten’ by Police

By Admin. Updated 7:30 a.m., Friday, September 5, 2025, Atlantic Standard Time (GMT-4).

A prominent tattoo artist, Tristan Williams of 1NK.Lab Tattoo and Art Studio, claims he was wrongfully detained and assaulted by the police on 4 September.

Mr Williams, who provided photographs and a video to One News SVG, says he was informed by his father that police officers were seeking him.

Earlier that morning, at around 4:00 a.m., police reportedly conducted a search at Mr Williams’ father’s home in Ottley Hall. They did not present a warrant or state the name of the person they were looking for.

Upon learning this and that the police were seeking him, Mr Williams said he went to the Central Police Station in Kingstown, where officers told him to visit the Ottley Hall Police Station/Unit instead.

Speaking to One News SVG on Friday, Mr Williams said: “At around 4:30 a.m., just to clarify the situation, I walked all the way from Kingstown Station to Ottley Hall Station.”

“Upon arriving at the Ottley Hall station/unit, I knocked on the downstairs door about three times before I got an answer from upstairs. When the person from upstairs responded, I proceeded upstairs. An officer, whom I know from school, answered me. I told him that I was sent to the Ottley Hall station regarding the matter of my father’s house being raided and that I was there to clarify the matter and clear my name. I was told he didn’t know anything about that.”

“I was shunned and told ‘I must stop making noise and go downstairs.’ He insisted that I should not be upstairs. I went to the lower staircase after which I was told to shut up. After insisting that I shouldn’t be spoken to like that, the young man came downstairs into the yard and drew his firearm. I told him if he was going to draw his firearm, he needed to have reasonable grounds to do so, and that as a law-abiding citizen, I had not given any reason for anyone to draw a firearm on me.”

I then said to the officer, “I would like to know your badge number,” at which time he refused, insisting he did not have to give me the badge number.

Mr Williams said the officer’s response was, “If you want to get a lawyer and find out my number. Find out my number how I want to find out my number,” and that he was not going to give it to him.

After this, he insisted that I should leave the yard and forcibly ejected me. I told him the two rights he had violated were drawing his weapon without reason or intent to fire, and refusing to provide me with his badge number as a citizen of SVG.

As soon as I reached the gate, I mentioned to him that what he was doing was bullying. I told him the only reason he was acting in such a way was probably because people bullied him at school.

Immediately after, I turned to my right and saw a police transport vehicle arriving with about two officers on the back and four inside. One of the officers at the front right side of the vehicle stepped out and, without any interrogation, proceeded to throw me to the ground, slamming me on my back. Before I could even get up, I was assaulted further. His hands were around my neck, and the last conscious memory I have from that period was waking up in the Kingstown Police Station in pain, with a damaged forehead and lacerations about my body.

I have a wounded forehead, scarring on my neck and body. I cannot even swallow. My knee is swollen, my back hurts, and the entire left side of my head still aches. While sitting in my holding cell, a female officer said, “Let me see if you could remember anything.”

I sat in this cell, pleading for painkillers and medical attention due to the excruciating pain I was in. I was refused, and because I continued to beg, I was moved from the hallway and placed into the holding cell.

Mr Williams told One News SVG, “If I was really someone troublesome, why would I come to Kingstown and then proceed to Ottley Hall Station to find out why police were seeking me?”

He added that he spoke to an officer in brown clothes at Kingstown who was very attentive and compassionate, allowing him to explain the incident and what he endured. Shortly after that conversation, he was told he would be released and had to sign for his possessions.

Upon signing for his items, he continued to plead with officers to tell him the reason for his detention or assault. In response, he was told, “Mistake, mistake.” He asked again but was not charged with anything, nor informed why he was held. He was not even given an incident form. All he was told was, “Mistake. Go hospital.”

“So my question is: are the police bullies or protectors? Are we intimidators or safeguarders? After suffering a minor concussion and bruises all over my body, all I was told was ‘mistake’. All I am wondering is whose licks I took there. My phone, which I use to communicate with my clients, was destroyed.”

“The pain I am in right now means I will not be able to work for some time.”

All of his injuries were documented by the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital. He waited from 11 in the morning until 11 p.m. (4 September) for a doctor, who assessed him and told him to bring back the incident report.

When he left the hospital temporarily to go to his office to collect something before returning, a police transport passed by. The same officer he first encountered at Ottley was in the vehicle, pointing him out to the other officers at the front seat, laughing and taunting.

“I am hurt,” Mr Williams said. “The only reason given to me as a law-abiding citizen was ‘mistake’. I have no criminal record, I don’t attend parties, I don’t have a warrant. All I was told after this terrifying ordeal was ‘mistake, go hospital’. Why am I in pain when I am an innocent man? You are looking for someone, but you have no method of verification? No written process? Now I have to suffer physically, emotionally, financially, and mentally for something I didn’t do and for a charge that was never laid — a ‘mistake’.”

“Not all officers of the RSVGPF promote violence against the public; there are officers who dealt with me with absolute humanity,” Mr Williams said, adding that some officers in Kingstown condemned the situation.

“Demion, I am hurt. I am distraught. I am in pain. I am scared and confused. Only to be told it was a mistake. What is that supposed to mean, bro?” Mr Williams said, while in tears.

“Since I can remember, I am not a bad boy. I am not seeking violence. I just humbly go about life. I don’t have any run-ins with the law.”

Neither Mr Williams nor his family are certain about the appropriate steps to take in addressing the matter. The incident is among several recent controversies concerning police treatment of civilians.

At present, the police have not publicly addressed the matter. This story will be updated as further information becomes available.

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