Thu | May 30, 2024

50 people killed by security forces so far this year

Published:Wednesday | May 8, 2024 | 11:55 AM
INDECOM says all officers who were involved in the three incidents, will be required to provide a statement in relation to their incident. - File photo

The Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM) says 50 people have been shot and killed by the security forces since the start of the year.

Six of those fatal shootings occurred between yesterday and today.

Up to this time last year, 41 people had been killed by the security forces, 39 of whom were killed by the police.

INDECOM says members of the investigative team are still completing enquiries into this morning's incident in Kingston, in which four men were killed in the vicinity of King and Charles streets.

The men have not yet been officially identified. 

The police say they were attacked by gunmen in the area and returned the fire. They say five guns were recovered.

INDECOM says it was also informed that a police officer from another responding team was injured by another group of men and is being treated.

Meanwhile, INDECOM says its investigative team is also still completing enquiries into the shooting of 29-year-old Pete Bowen during a police operation in Sterling district in Grange Hill.

It's also probing yesterday's fatal shooting by the police of 19-year-old Kevaughn Bhalai in the community of Waterford in St Catherine. The police reported that upon entering a house, based on information received, a man who was seen in a room, pointed a firearm in their direction and in return they fired at the man.

INDECOM says it was not informed of a body-worn camera being issued, assigned or used, in any of the incidents.

As part of the response requirements, INDECOM says its forensic personnel examine, process and package the evidential material recovered from the incident scenes. The hands of the deceased men are swabbed for DNA testing and their bodies photographed and sealed, pending post mortem examination.

It says all officers who were involved in the three incidents, will be required to provide a statement in relation to their incident and where advised, attend INDECOM to be interviewed in relation to their involvement in the fatal shootings.

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