A homeless man has died after being shot by the police during a fracas at Cross Crossing, San Fernando, yesterday. Up to press time the deceased had not identified.
Police said around 10.30 am they received a report that the man was brandishing a cutlass near the Vehicle Management Company Limited at Union Hall, San Fernando. When they arrived the man allegedly rushed one of the officers with the blade.
A single shot was fired and he was hit in the chest. The man was rushed to the San Fernando General Hospital where he subsequently died. Police are now calling on members of the public to assist in identifying him.
This is the sixth police killing within recent times. Among those killed by police were Paul Marchan, Raymond Joseph, Daniel Paul and Edison Thompson.
Marchan, 30, was shot dead by officers of the Western Division Task Force on March 16, after he reportedly attacked a family member and tried to stab two police officers at Richplain, Diego Martin. Joseph, a retired soldier, was shot dead on April 1, while Daniel Paul, 23, was killed for throwing stones on June 5. Thompson, 45, was shot dead for attacking a soldier with a hammer.
It was only on Friday that the Police Complaints Authority announced that it will resume probes into police shootings following the appointment of a PCA Deputy Director Michelle Solomon-Baksh. Investigations were halted on May 8 after the former deputy Andre Stroude resigned his post to take up an appointment as a judge at the Industrial Court.