A motorcyclist sustained a non-life-threatening injury after police opened fire when he disregarded barriers and directives to stop during a traffic operation at Gros Islet.
According to a police press release, the incident occurred as officers conducted a series of exercises on Friday and Saturday.
The law enforcement officers apprehended six individuals for various offenses.
The offences included Possession of Firearms, Possession of Ammunition, Harbouring a Wanted Criminal, and Possession of Cannabis Resin.
The police release on the operation, including the officer-involved shooting of the motorcyclist, appears below:
On Friday, 16 and Saturday 17, February 2024, the various units of the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force conducted a series of exercises. The primary objective of the operation was to apprehend wanted individuals, conduct traffic checks, and execute search warrants.
The operation resulted in the successful apprehension of six (6) individuals for various offenses including Possession of Firearms, Possession of Ammunition, Harbouring a Wanted Criminal, and Possession of Cannabis Resin. During that operation three (3) Warrants to Search for Property were also executed and also two (2) Warrants of Arrest in the First Instance.
- During the conduct of patrols within the town of Gros Islet, a male identified as thirty-year-old (30) Allan Griffith Jr. of La Toc, Castries was searched, leading to the discovery and seizure of one handgun, and magazine containing eight (8) rounds of ammunition. This individual was arrested and subsequently charged for the offences of Possession of Firearm, Possession of Ammunition, Possession of Controlled Drugs and Possession of Controlled Drugs with Intent to Supply to Another. This defendant was escorted to the first district court for bail consideration. Bail was granted in the sum of thirty-two thousand (XCD32000.00) dollars, cash, suitable surety or land documents.
- During the same patrol, another male, identified as twenty-seven (27) year old Sidon Popo of Anse Ger Der, Desrisseaux, was arrested and subsequently charged for two counts of Possession of Controlled Drugs and two counts of Possession of Controlled Drug with Intent to Supply to Another. This defendant was escorted to the first district court for bail consideration. Bail was granted in the sum of two thousand (XCD2000.00) dollars, cash, suitable surety or land documents.
- A Warrant to Search for Property was executed, pursuant to a Warrant of Arrest issued in the First Instance for the offence of Robbery, on the premises of twenty-two-year-old (22) Ceejay Joseph alias Short Mob of Assou Canal, Gros-Islet. This search led to the recovery of stolen property, two (2) rounds of 9mm ammunition, and (1) bullet proof vest. Ceejay Joseph was arrested and subsequently charged for the offences of Robbery, Handling Stolen Goods and Possession of Ammunition. This defendant was escorted to the first district court for bail consideration and was remanded to the Boredelais Correctional Facility.
- A Warrant to Search for Property was executed at the residence of twenty-year-old (20) Shernika Dupree of Entrepot, Castries. Jahvis Alfred, for whom a Warrant of Arrest in the First Instance had been issued, was found and arrested. Additionally, it was discovered that a Commitment Warrant was also issued in the name of Jahvis Alfred, for Failing to Comply with a Court Order. Consequently, Shernika Dupree was arrested for Harbouring a Criminal. Jahvis Alfrred was escorted to the first district court for bail consideration, where bail was granted in the total sum of ten thousand (XCD10000.00) dollars, cash, suitable surety or land documents.
Shernika Dupree was escorted to the first district court for bail consideration and bail was granted in the sum of three thousand (XCD3000.00) dollars, cash, suitable surety or land documents.
OFFICER INVOLVED SHOOTING:
As part of the above mentioned operations, officers carried out a traffic operation near the intersection of Sir Julien R. Hunte Highway and the La Retraite Road in Gros Islet.
During the conduct of the check, officers had cause to utilize lethal force (firearm) to stop a motorcyclist who had disregarded barriers, other physical and verbal directives to stop. The rider suffered a non-life threatening gunshot injury and was provided with medical care.
Upon further investigation, it was discovered that the motorcycle had a fraudulent license plate. Consequently, the rider was arrested on charges of Failure to Comply and Assault with a Motor Vehicle.
I do not always support shooting but with the explanation given, Officers you have 100% support from me. In America or Canada this individual would be considered dead. In these countries they shoot to kill.
It is about time those bad boys understand the police must be respected. Job well done officer – you have my support
Tell those fearless cops to come down south and help out.. the babylon soldiers dowm here useless..
What a stupid idiot not respecting the police instructions means you have something to hide and I guess since his is so stupid he must have thought there would not have been any consequences for his actions. Now lets see what his Mom has to say wait I know My son is a good boy the police didn’t have to shoot him what if they had killed him.
I know it takes a lot of resources both financially and physically on the Officers however these operation should be done every day in different places on the island for the rest of the year. i am confident i will pay off.
Légitime de défense !!
Says the métropolitaine policemen…
They didn’t have to shoot him unless their lives were threatened. Why not chase him especially if there is another cycle officer present. Shoot only and only when your life is threatened that’s the training they get so you they know better.
Keep up the good job and go after those cockroaches. The police also need to go after those thieves and crackheads and drinkers of alcohol in vieux Fort…
Continue your good work cops…inconvenience us all! My only disappointment is that you all do not post their pics….embarrass them..make all their friends and family and employers see their faces on all social media platform.
HIGHGRADE, did you not read the part about the guy being charged for assault with a motorcycle? I think that its quite obvious that he tried to use the bike as a weapon against the cops, possibly tried to run them over and was shot. more than justifiable under the circumstances.
@ watcher No no and no……Your article did not state the driver “charged “ at the police or used his cycle “as a weapon” it clearly states driver failed to yield to command by blockade, physical ,and verbal directives and that’s what they say, but in retrospect, there was nothing here that warrants an officer to discharge his weapon, it’s a motorcycle not a car, they could have done other things that could have thrown him down easily or if a cycled officer was on hand chase him down. Question what if that bullet was lethal he then lost control of the cycle, while you or another pedestrian was in the vicinity and it crashed into either of you, so now you have two fatalities now what ?? You could sue the government for wrongful death by callousness and rightfully so. The officer did not have to discharge his firearm. Right now if Highgrade was the police commissioner, your badge and gun please you are on reduced paid leave until completion of investigation into this matter. The commanding officer that was on duty when this went down would have been cautioned or written up, but this St Lucia we done know already how things go so all I have just stated is wishful thinking.
Offcourse the cops will say assault with motorcycle to cover their tracks….this rider was brazenly trying to escape,police officers do not stand nor park in the middle of the road during road block,they park and stand on side walks at strategic points….and which police would go stand in front a fast moving vehicle?…lie dat!….I don’t agree with this fool LHG 99% of the time but this is one time I will.
I saw everthing that happened the guy took a different route since he saw there was a road block officers saw him followed him and started shooting !!! Dem officers digusting you only shoot when your life is in danger
Well done officers, these guys are lawless, they are following what they see in the house of assembly. They like to disrespect authority they don’t follow orders. If the speaker asked them to sit or withdraw a statement , they reply do whatever you want Andy. That is the example they set for our young people.
$30,000 for Jahvis????? Lawmakers know that dirty rotten scoundrel well enough to abscond n they allow a judge to grant mate bail. Murderer, thief, rapist etc
Mary Mary open ur …… fast
HIGHGRADE read the article again as I said. Read the last paragraph of the police report at the end of the story. it states” The rider was arrested on charges of failure to comply and ASSAULT WITH A MOTOR VEHICLE”. Assault means that he either inflicted harm or threatened harm using the motorcycle as a potential or actual weapon, which is why he was probably shot. and more than likely justifiably so. You are misinterpreting my previous post.
@watcher that’s what the police say they have to account for every spent shell. I am not perceiving innocence of the cyclist I am just questioning “the just cause and rationale” for using lethal force given the history of this behavior in past buy the RSLPF…… there has been so many instances of unjust lethal shootings without accountability their rug is quite lumpy, and this is indeed why the RSLPF needs to outfitted with body cam, their reputation has superseded itself.