INDECOM probing four police fatal shootings in three days

By Halshane Burke    

 

Investigative teams from the Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM) are probing the circumstances which resulted in the fatal shooting of four persons by the police in separate incidents from March 26 to 28.

 

The incidents, which claimed the lives of a woman and three men, occurred in Kingston, St. Thomas, Manchester and St. Catherine.

 

The latest incidents increase the number of fatal shootings by the security forces for the month of March to 12, and 34 year to date.

 

The latest incident occurred on Thursday morning in Guy's Hill, St. Catherine where an unidentified man, who allegedly engaged the police in a shootout, was fatally shot and a stolen motor car reportedly recovered. INDECOM says the details surrounding that shooting have not yet been collected.

 

In the second incident 34-year-old Terryesha Maragh was shot while she was a passenger in a vehilce on Lexington Avenue in Kingston on March 26.

 

The shooting of Ms. Maragh reportedly took place during a confrontation between an off-duty lawman and an alleged robber.

 

Lenford Barrett of Hartease in Yallahs, St. Thomas was shot on Wednesday during an operation at a house along Bassant Lane when he allegedly threatened the lawmen with a knife.

 

In another incident Wednesday, 24-year-old Kemar Clarke was killed on the compound of Winston Jones High School in Manchester after the police say he drove his car towards the lawman who fired a shot towards the vehicle.

 

Mr. Clarke was hit and later pronounced dead at hospital.

 

INDECOM is appealing to any person who witnessed any of the four fatal shooting incidents, to contact the office of the Commission at 876-968-1932.