INDECOM, BSI probing fatal shooting of barber in Cherry Gardens

Jamaica Observer

Friday, February 10, 2012

THE Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM) is probing the fatal shooting of a man in Cherry Gardens, St Andrew last night.

He has been identified as 27-year-old Renard Harrison of Benson Avenue.

The police report that at about 4:30 am a team of police personnel from the Flying Squad Division went to an apartment located on 14 Benson Avenue. The door was forced opened and the officers say they were fired upon.

The police took evasive action fired at Harrison, who ran passed them with a gun in hand and escaped through a window. He was then accosted by two officers who ordered him to drop the gun. He pointed the weapon in their direction and fearing for their lives they opened fire and Harrison fell to the ground, injured. The weapon was retrieved and the injured man was rushed to the Kingston Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The firearm recovered was a Caspian Glock 22 with a magazine containing fifteen (15) rounds of 9 mm cartridges.

The common law wife of the deceased, who was with him at the time of the incident, said at about 5:00 am she was in bed with Harrison when they heard knocking on the door. The door was forced open and she saw police officers standing at the entrance to her apartment. She entered the living room with her hands above her head when she heard an explosion. She said Harrison ran passed her and subsequently heard several more explosions. She also alleged that one of the police personnel had their hand over her mouth in an effort to prevent her from screaming.

The house was later searched and after the searching exercise she was taken to Flying Squad Headquarters and then to the Constant Spring Police Station. While at the Constant Spring police station she was told that Harrison died.

The hands of the deceased as well as the concerned officers were swabbed; the relevant fire arms secured for forensic analysis and the body of the victim processed. The scene was processed by the Technical Services Division (TSD) and further by the INDECOM forensics team who found two expended bullets, a spent 9mm and M16 bullet casing.