The licensed firearm holder implicated in the killing of a police constable in White River, Ocho Rios on Sunday night, April 18 has been released from custody without charge.
Dead is 30-year-old police constable Shane Francis, who was assigned to the Divisional Intelligence Unit (DIU) in St. Ann’s Bay, St Ann.
The St. Ann police have indicated that the man was released from custody as a file is being prepared to be sent to the director of public prosecutions (DPP) for a ruling to be made on whether he should be charged.
The man released from custody is said to be the son of an ex-cop that was stationed in St. Ann.
The shooting death of Francis took place at a birthday party, at a popular location near White River. Francis, who is originally from Breadnut Hill, St Ann, resided in Tower Isles, St Mary.
Party goers said sometime earlier the two men saw each other and Francis who has known the other man for a long time said ‘Since you get gun you just hype, eeh.” That’s a reference to the recent acquisition of a gun license by the man who is a salesman. The two had been friends but that relationship soured after Francis was allegedly involved in the shooting of the man’s friend.
The shooting occurred a little later, around 11:30 p.m. when the men argued, it is said, over a woman. Francis, it is reported, pulled his Beretta firearm and the other man did the same, drawing his Glock pistol and firing twice, hitting Francis in the chest and hip.
The shooter drove to the nearby police station at Prospect where he reported the incident and was then taken into custody.
Police officers at the party took Francis to St Ann’s Bay hospital where he was pronounced dead.
