DPP finally gets Steele file
Western Bureau — The case file on last December’s fatal police shooting of Falmouth resident, Dave “Bad Head” Steele, was earlier this week submitted to the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for a ruling.
The 26 year-old man was shot and killed some time after 9:00 pm in the vicinity of the Washy Bar along Falmouth Street on December 14.
His death sparked a massive protest in the normally quiet Trelawny town. During the unrest, commercial activity and traffic flow throughout the town were hampered as the residents blocked roads and called for justice.
They charged that Steele was an “innocent youth,” who had been gunned down by the police without justification.
But according to the police, Steele was driving without a licence along Duke Street when they signalled him to stop. He reportedly sped away and they gave chase.
The police said that when they caught up with the car along Falmouth Street, two men ran from the vehicle. The lawmen said they fired warning shots, and Steele was hit in the process.
He was later taken to the Falmouth Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
But residents were adamant, when they took to the streets from about 11:00 am on December 15, that the police’s version of what had transpired was untrue.
They admitted that Steele was driving without a licence, and that he drove away from the police when initially confronted. But they insisted that no one ran from the car after it finally stopped, and that the deceased was shot in “cold blood” as he alighted from the vehicle with his hands in the air.
Following the protest action, which lasted until about 6:00 pm, the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of Area One, Linton Latty, gave his assurance that the matter would be thoroughly investigated by the Bureau of Special Investigations. And he said that the completed file would be submitted to the DPP for a ruling.
Now, some three weeks later, the file has finally been sent to the office of the DPP. Three of the four police officers who were allegedly involved in the incident were taken from front-line duty while the fourth is on sick leave.
