WESTERN BUREAU — More than 100 residents of Flankers in Montego Bay yesterday protested against the killing of Errol Whittaker, alias Monkey Man, 26, who was fatally shot by the police early Sunday morning.

The residents claimed that Whittaker, a resident of the community, was killed in cold blood and have called for a speedy investigation into the matter.

The police’s account is that at about 5:30 am on Sunday, during an operation in the Seaview Heights area of Flankers, they went to a house occupied by Whittaker and his girlfriend, Taneisha Williams, when they were greeted by gunfire.

According to the police, they returned the fire and Whittaker was shot and killed in the house.

“A .38 Smith and Wesson revolver containing four rounds of ammunition was found on his body,” Corporal Lancelot Tyrell, the police’s information officer for St James told the Observer.

Williams, who escaped injury during the alleged shoot-out, has since been arrested and charged for illegal possession of firearm and ammunition.

Tyrell said Whittaker is believed to be the leader of the “Paupie” gang, which frequents the communities of Norwood, Flankers and North Gully.

Whittaker, according to the police, was wanted in connection with a number of crimes, which included the February robbery of the Cool Runnings Spring Water Company on Union Street, in Montego Bay.

However, the protesters claimed that Whittaker was sleeping at home, unarmed when he was killed.

“Monkey Man was not killed in any shoot-out with the police, a lie dem (police) a tell, dem too wicked,” one of the protesters said.

The protesters alleged that last month Whittaker and another man called “Bobby” were told by some members of the police force that they would be killed this year.

“De police tell dem sey that this year was fi dem year fi dead, because every time dem go to court the judge free dem,” the residents said.

Whittaker has had several “run-ins” with the police in the past but the residents claimed that in recent years he has been “behaving himself.”

In 2001, for example he was arrested and charged with illegal possession of a firearm but was later acquitted of the offence.

Since that time, the residents claimed, Whittaker has been operating a small shop in the community and has been abiding by the law.

“If a when three years ago when that guy (Whittaker) used to run up and down with him friends dem and do a lot a stuff and dem (police) kill him, wi would understand. But now him a try fi live a clean life and the police dem kill him,” Jean Robinson, a resident remarked.

A large detachment of police, headed by Deputy Superintendent Currie Smith, was deployed to the scene of the demonstration.

Smith told the demonstrators that eyewitnesses to the incident should give statements on the matter to the police and the Police Public Complaints Authority in Montego Bay. He also promised that the Bureau of Special Investigations (BSI) would be called in to investigate the matter.