TWO controversial killings in Trelawny Friday night, including that of a 16-year-old school girl, have angered residents who are blaming the police for the deaths.Up to press time yesterday residents were manning massive road blocks in Falmouth, protesting against the death of 25-year-old David Steele, higgler of Market Street in the parish, who they said was killed by the police. Traffic was stalled for several hours on the main thoroughfare between Ocho Rios and Montego Bay. Up to late yesterday evening, there was a tense stand-off between the protesters and the police, as the residents vowed to wreak havoc in the town come nightfall.
Residents of Green Pond, Trelawny, are also blaming the police for the death of Samantha Brissett, the 16-year-old school girl. She was shot and killed in her sleep Friday night, during an alleged shoot-out between the police and gunmen in Green Pond.
Police Commissioner Francis Forbes has ordered the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) to immediately probe the controversial killing of Mr. Steele. Head of the Consta-bulary Communication Net-work, Superintendent James Forbes, told The Sunday Gleaner, "The Commissioner has instructed that all the personnel involved in the shooting be taken off front line duties pending further investigations."
Allegations surrounding the death of the school girl are that the police were responding to reports of a robbery at the Green Pond Primary and Junior High School when they encountered the gunmen. During an alleged shoot-out, Samantha was found in her bed suffering from a gunshot wound.
The police say that Mr. Steele was shot when they fired warning shots at men they had ordered to stop. The police say at about 9:30 p.m., members of a police patrol signalled the driver of a Toyota Corolla motor car travelling along Duke Street to stop. The driver sped away with the police in pursuit. The car eventually stopped on Falmouth Street and two men alighted from the vehicle and ran. They say after the warning shots were fired, it was discovered that Mr. Steele had been shot and he was taken to hospital.
The police allege that a group of persons invaded the hospital and prevented medical personnel from performing their duties.
However, persons who say they were eyewitnesses told The Sunday Gleaner that Mr. Steele, who did not possess a driver's licence, had alighted from the vehicle and was running towards a group of people when he was shot in the back by the lawmen. According to one person, after Steele was shot, one police officer kicked the body and told him "get up boy, nutten no do you."
The residents mounted roadblocks on several streets in Falmouth. At one point, Member of Parliament, Wendell Stewart, tried to calm the angry mob, but to no avail. A senior police officer also pleaded with the crowd to clear the roadblocks. He was met with shouts of "we want justice" from the estimated 300-strong crowd. Police from Area One Headquarters in Montego Bay had to be called in to assist their neighbouring counterparts, as the protesters shouted plans to set the Falmouth police station ablaze come nightfall.
Up to press time last evening, a strong detachment of police was still in the area.
