Cop implicated in bus park shooting reassigned
The police rank implicated in the shooting of a bystander, Jean Rodrigues, in the vicinity of the Timehri Bus Park, has been reassigned as the police force completes the investigation.
Rodrigues, who has been discharged but still has a bullet lodged in her body, was shot last Tuesday in what the police rank claimed was an exchange of gunfire between him and a suspected bandit that he was pursuing. However, bystanders had accused the rank of being responsible for shooting the woman.
On Monday, the police force announced in a statement that the results of ballistics and other examinations contradict the account of the police constable and the suspect and therefore the rank has been reassigned as the investigation continues.
“The file will be completed in a few days’ time and sent for legal advice,” police added.
The suspect, a 17-year-old footballer, who was later released, had been taken to the police by his mother.
The teen’s mother, Linda Forde, had told reporters she turned her son into the police after he explained to her what happened.
She said her son had explained to her that he was at the park and had an altercation with a girl, who brought her brother. Subsequently, he said the girl’s brother pulled out a gun and fired a warning shot in the air. The boy then started to run, after which the police started to chase him. “The police start running behind he and they didn’t even know why he de running,” she said, while adding that the police opened fire on him.