Farewell for cop who shot himself
OCHO RIOS, St Ann — A St Ann policeman who shot himself on July 9 and died in hospital two days later, was remembered yesterday as an exemplary individual.
The date of the funeral service for Constable Dave Antonio Shackleford was reportedly picked by the late law enforcer who left his request in a note before he shot himself in the neck, police said.
Although the Ocho Rios Seventh Day Adventist Church was not packed, a large contingent of police personnel, headed by Senior Superintendent James Forbes, paid their last respects to their former colleague, whose body will be cremated.
Family members and friends were also out to express solidarity.
Head of the Ocho Rios police, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Gary Francis said that Shackleford had left an indelible mark in the divisions that he served.
Shackleford, who served the Jamaica Constabulary Force for nine years, worked in St Ann and Portland.
DSP Francis remembered him as a great team player and one who did not share in anything corrupt.
“We want to remember him for what he was,” Francis said.
He encouraged those attending the funeral service to remember Shackleford for his dedication, commitment, and drive.
The husband and father of two was also remembered as a jovial person.
DSP Dwight Powell, who represented the Commissioner of Police, said that the entire St Ann Division was mourning a friend.
“It is hurting,” colleague Corporal Dalton Davidson stated. He remembered how Shackleford encouraged his colleagues just a few days before the tragic incident, which stunned those with whom he worked.
The policeman’s death shocked family and friends who said he showed no signs of problems up to a few hours before his death.
Reports are that on Tuesday, July 9, Shackleford, who lived at James Avenue, Ocho Rios, returned to his home community in Hinds Town where he spoke with community and family members, reminiscing about his childhood days, before going to his former home where he pulled the trigger.
It was later revealed that the cop was undergoing counselling just days before the incident and that he was only given back his firearm mere days before, after it was declared that he was fit to carry the weapon.
Shackleford’s death is said to be stressful for his family, especially for his mother who is also mourning her husband who will be buried on August 7.
In a previous interview with the Jamaica Observer, one family member said that Constable Shackleford had long requested an early funeral, and that his body be cremated when he died.
