Man Shot Dead In O’Bessa After Confrontation
INDECOM has confirmed it is investigating the fatal shooting of a man by police in Oracabessa St Mary, Friday, September 22.
Dead is 33-year-old Sheldon Anderson, waiter of Marson Town, Oracabessa in the parish.
The incident took place Friday afternoon and involved three officers. The Corporate Communications Unit of the police gave no details but confirmed the fatal shooting. They said the matter had been referred to IPROB and INDECOM.
In a release made available to The North Coast Times, the Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM) said it commenced investigations into the police fatal shooting of Anderson.
INDECOM says the police have stated that three officers were on patrol duties when they went in pursuit of a man who aroused their suspicion.
During the pursuit, it is alleged that the man pointed a firearm at one of the officers, who in response discharged his service weapon at the man. The man was transported to the Port Maria Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The police officers, involved in this incident, have reported that they were not issued with, nor were they wearing, a body worn camera at the time of this incident. One Phoenix arms pistol, without a serial number, was reported as recovered from the incident scene.
INDECOM’s investigation involved the processing of the incident scene, processing of the firearms assigned to the concerned officers as well as the recovered firearm. The hands of the deceased were swabbed for gunshot residue and his body was photographed and sealed, pending the post mortem examination.
During the initial scene response, the concerned officers provided an initial account to INDECOM Investigators.
The concerned officers were subsequently issued with Notices to provide a statement and attend the office of the Commission to be interviewed pursuant to Section 21 of the Independent Commission of Investigations Act, 2010, this week.
In the absence of body worn cameras, the Commission appeals for their use by law enforcement personnel and also encourages citizens to contact the Commission using INDECOM’s official WhatsApp at (876)553-5555, with information, photos and videos of any incident.