Lynford Simpson and Glenroy Sinclair, Gleaner Writers

A woman examines the burnt-out police jeep that was set ablaze by angry residents protesting the fatal shooting by the police of two men in their community of Glengoffe, St. Catherine, on Tuesday night. - Norman Grindley/Deputy Chief Photographer

Forty-three-year-old Neville Morgan struggled to hold back the tears as he spoke about his 71-year-old father Edward who, along with a 43-year-old man, was shot and killed by the police under questionable circumstances in the quiet rural district of Glengoffe, St. Catherine, Tuesday night.

Neville, the eldest of Morgan's seven children, literally stumbled upon his father's body which lay sprawled on its back in the Glengoffe square for hours after he had taken at least one bullet to the head. Neville was on his way home from work in Red Hills, St. Andrew.

"I don't even know how it happen. He was a peaceful, hard-working old man," Neville muttered while being consoled by friends and neighbours. Police Commissioner Lucius Thomas should receive a preliminary report of the controversial killing of the two men before noon today.

This is no joke

"This is no joke, the report will be on the commissioner's desk today, 11:30 a.m., the latest," said Acting Assistant Commissioner of Police Granville Gause, in charge of the Bureau of Special Investigation (BSI).

Yesterday, at least eight detectives from the BSI were dispatched to the Glengoffe community where the incident took place. Mr. Gause told The Gleaner that three statements were collected from witnesses. The policemen involved have been removed from frontline duties.

Following the controversial shooting, chaos reigned in Glengoffe from Tuesday night into early Wednesday morning as word quickly spread that the men had died. The two policemen implicated in the shooting had to run for their lives through a gully which runs behind a building in the town square. This, as scores of angry residents converged on their service vehicle. The vehicle was torched, roadblocks were erected, and residents even threatened to burn the nearby police station.

The shooting reportedly took place about 9:30 p.m., just as Mr. Morgan was closing his small board shop which he operated in the town. According to the residents, a police jeep with two policemen aboard entered the square and accosted Patrick Austin, a 43-year-old dreadlocked man said to be of unsound mind, who reportedly had a ganja spliff. Astin reportedly became boisterous, shouted insults at the lawmen while telling them to "leave him alone", according to eyewitnesses. He reportedly "shouted fire at Babylon" and was shot.

However, according to the Constabulary Communication Network (CCN), members of a police party were conversing with a motorist on a roadway at Big Square when one of them was attacked by Austin with a machete. "The policeman took evasive action but was again attacked and he opened fire hitting Austin," the CCN said. The CCN claimed it was subsequently discovered that Mr. Morgan who was an innocent bystander had been shot. Both men were pronounced dead at hospital hours later.

However, the residents are adamant that Mr. Austin, also called 'Lightning' of a St. Mary address, had no weapon. They claimed the machete was taken from Mr. Morgan's shop. Among other things, Mr. Morgan sold sugarcane and coconuts at his shop. He actually fell on top of a few lengths of sugarcane with several coconuts almost touching his body.

When police reinforcements finally arrived about 11:15 p.m., having been forced to travel the longer route from Stony Hill via Above Rocks instead of via Lawrence Tavern, the residents who by then numbered several hundred, were in a no nonsense mood as they demanded the proverbial justice. The heavily armed contingent, which included an armoured car, several jeeps and cars, was backed up by a fire truck. While two members of the community were having what appeared to be a cordial discussion about the incident, others in the crowd were demanding their brand of justice on the spot. Things got ugly when someone threw a stone at one of the police vehicles. In response residents were sent running for cover as a barrage of gunshots filled the night sky. There was soon tension again when the police attempted to remove the bodies without even processing the scene. The residents objected, demanding they wait until television cameras arrived.

When The Gleaner newsteam left the scene about 2:00 a.m., the crime scene had still not been processed. A 45-year-old woman who has lived in Glengoffe all her life said it was the first time anything of such a nature had occurred in the community.

"Mi caan believe dem murder him (Morgan) dem way yah. Mi and him live like bredda,' said a tearful Cleveland Daniel, a 56-year-old resident. Yesterday Derrick Smith, the Opposition Spokesman on National Security, called on the residents to remain calm while the investigations are conducted.

According to Smith, "the matter raises a number of concerns, including how the police deal with the elderly in the society ...".

Witnesses to the event are being asked to contact the BSI at 967-0644.

Correspondent Rasbert Turner contributed to this story.