Deadly police shooting sparks fiery protest in St Ann

Carl Gilchrist/Gleaner Writer 

The St Ann community of St D’Acre near Alexandria remains tense following Sunday's fiery protest over the fatal shooting of a man by a cop.

Residents claim that the policeman killed 43-year-old farmer and mason, Glester White without reason.

Angry residents later set fire to the policeman's car as well as to a house belonging to his relatives.

One of the policeman's relatives had called him to the community to quell a dispute over a water tank on a property leased by White.

The confrontation was reportedly sparked by White's decision to deny water to a little girl on Sunday morning.

Resident's claim that in denying the little girl, White told her that it was too early. 

The child went back home and told her mother who later turned up demanding access to the water from what she said was a parish tank.

During an argument with the woman, White reportedly used a machete to chop her bucket. 

That's when the woman telephoned the cop said, to be her son-in-law.

According to White’s common-law wife, Dionne Palmer, the policeman arrived soon after and shot her partner in full view of her and their two children aged five and two years old.

"Mi think a inna di air him fire di shot. Then mi see him (White) tun backway and drop inna di water,” Palmer said. 

She also said it appeared that White was shot four times. 

Palmer said the cop also threatened other members of her family before a police team arrived and took him away. 

She is also now preparing to move from the community saying she and her family do not feel safe.   

Meanwhile, White’s 21-year-old son, Glester Jnr said the incident is affecting him badly. 

“I’m going to have sleepless nights. I’m deeply disturbed. Police officer shot the man on no account of anything so mi really upset,” he said. 

The St Ann police did not immediately offer any comment.

Tension had been brewing for weeks over the water tank since residents turned down White's request for monetary contributions to repair it. 

He eventually repaired the tank with no help from the community but decided to limit access for people seeking water.

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