Two killed in alleged confrontation with cops

Grief filled the air yesterday on Bowens Road and Stephens Lane on Waltham Park Road in St Andrew, as residents mourned the fatal shooting of two of their own.

Residents claim that the men, Camrick 'Bashy' Williams and Rushane 'Grim' Douglas, were killed in cold blood by members of the security forces.

"Bashy never did a fire any shot. Him inna him bed plus him disabled because him [get] shot in him foot before, so how a shootout? Di police dem deh pon a raid and take him out of him house and after dat a bare shot. One a Bashy foot cyan even lay down on the ground. Is the crutch stick him use to balance him. Him a just 22 and nuh live nuh life yet. Dem tings here is [expletive] foolishness ," a relative of Williams said between tears.

The police have however refuted the residents' claims, stating that the men were fatally shot following a targeted operation at Bowens Road and Stephens Lane at 3 a.m. A police source said that Williams and Douglas were part of a gang that terrorised sections of the Waltham Park community. The source said that the police had to take evasive action after they were met with gunfire while patrolling the areas. When the gunshots subsided Williams and and Douglas were found suffering from gunshot wounds. They were taken to the Kingston Public Hospital where they were pronounced dead. Two firearms were recovered from the scene. Williams and Douglas were allegedly on the police's radar for their involvement in different types of crimes including murder. The source said that the men were involved in a long-standing feud between Bowens Road, Stephens Lane and Crescent Road. A resident told THE STAR that Douglas had only returned from being in police custody less than a month ago after he was interrogated in relation to the murder of Private Daniel Crawford on February 10 along Stephens Lane.

As detectives processed the scene yesterday, angry residents hurled insults in their direction accusing them of being cold blooded murderers.

"Uno a wicked and unno a gunman inna police uniform. When yuh hear the shot dem, yuh know say a one set a gun a fire. We tink a gunman in the place a kill man and never know a police. Hope di bwoy dem spirit torment uno fi di rest a uno life, uno cruel," a woman shouted. Another woman told the news team that her relative narrowly escaped meeting his demise only because his infant child held on tightly to him when the security forces entered their home. She said other women also started behaving boisterously, which caused the lawmen to relent.

The Independent Commission of Investigation has launched a probe into the incident. As at April 14, 91 persons have been killed during alleged confrontations with members of the security forces since the start of the year.