Police vehicle in Grants Pen shooting to be tested at forensic lab
THE police service vehicle which was used to transport 18-year-old Andre ‘Kunte’ Thomas, whose fatal shooting by police in Grants Pen in Kingston last Friday sparked widespread public outcry, will be sent to the government forensic laboratory for tests today.
“The vehicle has been brought to the commissioner’s office and will be taken to the forensic laboratory first thing in the morning (today),” according to Karl Angell, the constabulary director of communications.
Angell, however, declined to comment on the shooting incident, saying it may prejudice the investigation.
According to the Constabulary Communication Network (CCN), shortly after 1:00 pm on Friday Thomas was seen among a group of men ‘acting suspiciously along Grants Pen Road in Kingston when he was approached by the lawmen.
However, the police said one of the men pulled a gun, and “the police took evasive action and fired, hitting the alleged gunman”. Thomas’ body was later found with gunshot wounds and a Raven .25 semi-automatic with five .25 cartridges was allegedly found beside him.
The police officers in the operation were said to be travelling in a white Suzuki Grand Vitara, which was used to transport Thomas to the hospital.
Allegations that the police vehicle was subsequently taken to a garage and allegedly tampered with were not confirmed.
In the meantime, local human rights group Jamaicans for Justice has come out in strong condemnation of the actions of the officers which led to Thomas’ death.
In a press release issued late yesterday evening, the rights group related a differing version of how Thomas met his death, ending with Thomas’ death being described as murder.
“Reports indicate that Andre was abused and shot by police after he refused their order to go home. Eyewitnesses, including Andre’s father Philbert Thomas. state that the police shot Andre twice in the leg and once in the elbow then put him in their vehicle to drive him to hospital. By the time Mr Thomas got to KPH he found his son dead and saw that he had two additional bullet wounds, one in the abdomen and one in the chest. Andre’s family and the community are convinced that this was cold-blooded murder,” the rights group said.
