Tensions high after police shooting before motorcade in August Town

Candidates in the upcoming local government elections moved to pacify angry residents of August Town in St Andrew on Thursday as they staged a fiery protest following a police shooting on Wednesday, reportedly involving a People’s National Party (PNP) supporter.

The injured man, Jermaine Omeily, remains in hospital under police guard after being accused of shooting at the police.

He was reportedly shot as PNP supporters gathered in a section of the community ahead of a motorcade.

Refuting police claims that a firearm was recovered from the scene, the residents took to the streets just before noon Thursday.

Darrington Ferguson, the PNP’s candidate for the Papine division, in which August Town falls, told The Gleaner that he was on hand yesterday to hear the residents’ complaints and their recollection of the events.

“An unmarked vehicle with unmarked personnel alighted and fired. When it subsided, the young man ran up to a house and several other persons who tried to intervene to say, ‘Hey, you can’t murder him here’, they were assaulted,” Ferguson said.

A 17-year-old girl, believed to be a relative of Omeily, was also reportedly assaulted and her cell phone confiscated after recording the incident.

“What is even more alarming is that these (policemen) are the same guys that since I have been campaigning, I notice that they consistently try to intimidate the people that walk with me,” Ferguson charged.

He said he was also disappointed that the police did not take the injured man to get medical treatment.

UNDER INVESTIGATION

The Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM) and the St Andrew Central police are investigating the incident.

Venesha Phillips, the incumbent candidate for the division, said she learnt of the incident Wednesday but was out of the community.

“I came here this (Thursday) morning and observed that roadblocks and a demonstration are being undertaken by residents, some of whom would have seen stuff. Others of them would have heard. I’ve encouraged those who saw to give their statements to INDECOM ... . One of the things when things like these happen across Jamaica is that we don’t tell the people that it is important not just to protest, but to actually give statements so that justice can be effected because that’s the only way that justice can come,” she said.

Phillips, who won the division twice for the PNP before switching allegiance to the Jamaica Labour Party last year, said that justice would not come from protesting, screaming, or burning the street.

“I have to remind residents that police have lawyers, too, and those lawyers, their job is to get their clients off, so it is important that people are very clear about what they saw and are able, [when] being questioned, to, basically, explain what they saw because that’s my job to explain to them what their role in this issue is in order to get justice, and that is what I have done.,” Phillips said.

While The Gleaner was in the area, a war of words threatened to boil over as a machete-wielding man assaulted another resident in full view of Phillips and a police team.

The irate man, said to be a relative of Omeily, was whisked away by some residents to cool tensions.

“It is unfortunate that it is spilling over, where residents are even getting angry with each other. What I do not care for is that politics will be drawn into people’s tragedy in communities. I have never supported that in this community, and I wont support it now. It’s the silly season, but I am urging everyone to stay clear of politics because it will get in the way of justice.”

PRIORITY

On Thursday, even as election day workers and members of the security forces cast the first ballots in the polls, Phillips said her priority was the people.

“You also have to be sympathetic and empathic to the fact that the residents are hurting and irate because there is this general feeling in Jamaica that police brutality is prevalent in some areas more than others,” she said.

The residents said the police were unprofessional on Wednesday.

“Police come out and beat him wid gun, and a next one come out and run in a di lane,” one resident told The Gleaner. “Me a say a shoot-out this ‘cause dem in a plain clothes and unmarked vehicle. A nuh police ting that. Dem say police serve and protect; [but] a bad man ting dem deal wid, man.”

“Him (police) take off him gun and fire four more shot in front me and say, ‘Don’t come close’. That is no policing. That’s disrespect,” another said. “A we have fi carry the man go hospital. Now him deh hospital in a handcuff. Dem say dem find a gun, but no gun no present. Nobody nuh see no gun. If a gun find and is not the youth gun, what is going to come of it?”

Omeily’s aunt told The Gleaner that it was a very frightening encounter.

“Mi hear the gunshot dem and run out because me leave people in a di lane … . Dem come in and ask, ‘Weh di gun deh weh him did have?’, and me see the police put the gun a him head and mi bawl out, ‘Jesus!’” she recalled.

“Mi niece start video him and him give her some ... lick. Him beat her, and when mi look, mi see mi nephew and one a dem tangle up [so] mi start bawl out, ‘Murder!’,” she said.

andre.williams@gleanerjm.com