WESTERN BUREAU — The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) is to rule on last month’s fatal shooting of 19 year-old Richard Coombs by a security guard.

Constabulary Communications Network (CCN) liaison officer for the parish, Sergeant Alva Douglas told the Observer that statements were collected and the case file submitted earlier this month to the DPP for a ruling.

The case file contained statements from the security guard involved in the shooting as well as statements from people who said they witnessed the shooting. “The results of the post-mortem examination and the ballistic testing on the guard’s firearm were also taken into consideration,” Douglas added.

According to the police, at about 12:30 am on Monday, June 24, Coombs — a tiler of Wharf Road in Westmoreland — was fatally shot by a security guard outside Club Cancer. The club is a popular spot and the youth was reportedly shot after he demanded to be allowed free entry.

The police said the guard, who was working at the entrance of the club, insisted that Coombs pay the $100 entrance fee. Coombs allegedly refused, became boisterous and tried to force his way into the club while pushing one hand inside the waist of his pants.

The security guard subsequently fired a warning shot after which, the police report, Coombs advanced on him. The guard reportedly fired another shot hitting Coombs in the chest.

He was taken to the Savanna-la-Mar General Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

No weapon was reportedly found on the deceased man’s body.

Patrons at the club who were upset at the shooting incident, subsequently mobbed the security guard, accusing him of killing Coombs in cold blood.

The guard, however, managed to escape and sought refuge in a nearby house. His firearm was later seized by the police for ballistic testing. — MC