Police shooting sparks protest in Biche

The shooting of Churama Village, Biche gardener Nigel Jones on Friday evening sparked massive protest in the sleepy community yesterday morning. Members of the close-knit community accused the police of killing an innocent man and blocked strategic points on the road, causing chaos as other residents made their way to the market, grocery and Saturday morning classes.

Evlon Francis and Armatus Riley, two of the demonstrators, told members of the media, “The police kill an innocent man.” Riley said Jones, 36, was mentally unstable. A senior officer said investigations thus far revealed that police on patrol in the area on Friday saw Jones running and they gave chase. The officer said they cornered Jones, who attacked them with a cutlass, and they responded by firing one shot, hitting the man on his right side.

Residents, as well as Jones’ father Seecharan, 76, denied the dead man had a cutlass. “All he had in his bag was green fig and oranges and corn seed. He did not have any cutlass,” Riley said. The elderly Jones said he did not know why the police shot and killed his youngest child. He last saw his son around 3.30 pm on Friday when he returned from work as a gardener with another villager.

“He left home around 7 am to make a day’s work. He was carrying all kinds of seeds, cucumber, corn. In the evening, around half past three, I saw him through the short cut. Then he cross the road.” He said, “The next time I peep outside, I saw a police vehicle and two police running. I did not know why they were running, but they came behind my neighbour’s house and then I hear two shots fire.

“About ten minutes later, I see about four officers carrying somebody, I did not know it was my son. They rest him under a mango tree and then put him in the van and drive off.” The senior Jones said he is badly hurting. “I am hurt. I want justice. He was not violent, did not sell weed, he did not smoke weed.”

He said Jones “went off” when as a young man he witnessed the death (natural causes) of his mother. “He was my youngest child. The youngest child is supposed to help the father, but the police took him from me,” the grieving dad said. ASP Lewis is continuing investigations.