Indecom using CCTV footage to help probe quadruple killing by police
INDEPENDENT Commission of Investigations (Indecom) is banking on closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage to help it better understand how events unfolded on May 8 when four males were fatally shot during a reported firefight with police in downtown Kingston.
The dead men have been identified as 17-year-old Daniel “Liza” Rose of Mark Lane; Romaine “Bones” Lewis of King Street; 19-year-old Steven Rochester, carpenter of Love Lane; and 44year-old Garnel Jackson of a New Haven, Kingston 20, address.
It is reported that the gunfight occurred around 1:30 am and continued until just after 4:00 am. One member of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) was shot and injured in the incident.
On Friday, assistant commissioner of Indecom, Hamish Campbell told the Jamaica Observer that despite numerous visits by his investigators to the scene where the shootings occurred, no eyewitnesses have come forward.
“The media reports are well known, that the police did confront armed gunmen. Those armed gunmen were engaged in a gunfight with other men that was initially witnessed by the police. Those gunmen were seen escaping, and some of that aspect is documented on CCTV.
“A chase ensued, and the vehicle the criminals were driving crashed and suffered severe frontal collision damage. Those men escaped from the car, armed with guns, and there was a further confrontation with the police and four men were shot and killed. That is the account we have of the events and we are trying to correlate that account with CCTV evidence and forensics,” Campbell said.
He told the Observer that Indecom continues to investigate the matter, and most of the investigative groundwork has been laid.
“Much work was done the day of the shooting, and considerable amount of time was spent at the four different scenes where the shooting occurred and resulted in damage to the car and eventually the fatal shootings.
“The matter has gone to the laboratory — the weapons and the over 100 casings found at the scene. Over 100 shots were fired by the security forces and there were shots fired by the gunmen. That matter is continuing,” said Campbell.
“CCTV evidence is being recovered from one premises and further enquiries are being made in relation to other CCTV in the area which captures sets of the events. That is under investigation still. We are not in a position to further provide commentary in relation to those aspects of the CCTV evidence. The officers have all made statements and given them to Indecom, and they have also come in to be interviewed as witnesses and the enquiry will continue, with the post-mortem still to be held,” added Campbell.
As it relates to eyewitnesses, Campbell said there were people who,”clearly did see something. We don’t have, at this stage, any testimony from any civilian saying they saw any aspect of the shooting”, he said.
When questioned if the police personnel involved have been removed from front-line duty, Campbell said it is JCF policy to send any member involved in fatal shootings on administrative leave for 14 days. He pointed out, however, that he could not say for sure if the JCF members involved in this incident were sent on administrative leave.
“The officer would be sent on administrative leave for 14 days, but not as punishment. When the police conduct their administrative enquiry, then the officers would normally be returned to duty. In this instance, one officer was shot and injured so he would not be returning to duty.
“They are not on suspension or interdiction but it is normal for administrative leave of 14 days. That is a standard policy for them so they wouldn’t be telling us if that is the situation. That is how we understand it to be,” Campbell explained.