WESTERN BUREAU:
RELATIVES OF a 13-year-old boy who was killed by a policeman's bullet in Negril, Westmoreland earlier this year, will soon know whether or not anyone will be held criminally-responsible for the boy's death.
A coroner's inquest into the events which led to the death of Amari Wedderburn is scheduled to begin on November 6 in the Savanna-la-Mar Resident Magistrate's court.
The shooting, which occurred on May 2, sparked a massive demonstration in the resort town, as persons claiming to be eyewitnesses disputed the police report that the youth was shot accidentally.
According to the Constabulary Communications Network (CCN) report, the Negril police were in the process of apprehending a young man, when members of a boisterous crowd converged on the scene and hurled missiles at the police. The police say during the melee, a member of the crowd reportedly held on to one of the lawmen and tried to disarm him. According to them, a struggle ensued and Wedderburn, who was a bystander, was hit.
However, several persons who claimed to have witnessed the incident disputed the lawmen's version of the events. An angry mob smashed the windows of several businesses and damaged two motor vehicles, including a police jeep. Following the incident the Bureau of Special Investigations (BSI) launched a probe into the shooting, and sent their findings to the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). The DPP subsequently ruled that a coroner's inquest should be held to determine whether anyone is criminally responsible. The police officer involved in the shooting was removed from front-line duty and transferred from the area.
