Nagra Plunkett, Staff reporterWESTERN BUREAU:
MEMBERS OF the Trelawny Police Division are mourning the death of their colleague, who accidentally shot himself in the groin at his home in Barnstaple, Trelawny, on Thursday night, just two days after his 35th birthday.
The dead cop has been identified as Corporal Melvin Douglas, the sub-officer in charge of the Stewart Town Police Station in Trelawny. Cpl. Douglas, who hails from Portland, had been transferred to the division about two months ago from St. Mary.
"It is such a sad state of affairs. I have lost more than a sub-officer," said Deputy Superintendent of Police Linnette Williams-Martin, commanding officer for Trelawny.
"He was a very good policeman, one that was versatile in any area you put him he was a disciplinarian that was firm but knew how to be balanced."
According to Sergeant Andrea Brown, the Constabulary Communication Network (CCN) liaison officer for the parish, the unfortunate incident occurred about 11 p.m. after Cpl. Douglas drove home.
She said investigators have theorised that the policeman was in the process of closing a grill gate to his house when his licensed 9mm Glock pistol went off and hit him in the right thigh.
The Gleaner learnt that he reportedly called out to his 74-year-old landlady, who alerted neighbours who summoned the Stewart Town police. On their arrival, Cpl. Douglas was seen on his back lying on the steps to the residence.
His loaded firearm containing a magazine with 16 live rounds and a spent shell was found beside him. He was already dead.
"It is very sad and unfortunate, only God knows why," said one of his colleagues at the Falmouth Police Station.
