Elderly man shot by cop - ... Yet to get help from Government

Cleveland Tulloch is well known in his Allman Town, central Kingston, community. He once sold refreshing jelly coconuts from his handcart in the area, as well as at sporting and entertainment events in the Corporate Area.

For the past two years, the 76-year-old has been having to see his cart and wish it well. This is because the bones in one of his legs were shattered after he was accidentally shot by a policeman on August 27, 2017.

"Mi was a independent man because mi used to sell mi little jelly, but now mi have to a depend on people to give me tings or wait until PATH (the Programme of Advancement through Health and Education) to give me the little cheque every two months," Tulloch told THE WEEKEND STAR.

"Mi life mash up. Mi caah walk anymore, and a night time, the foot hurt mi bad. Right now, it need pins, and mi can't afford it, and nobody nah help. Mi never do anything to deserve this," the elderly man said.

Massive scar

Currently a wheelchair user, the senior citizen grimaced in pain as he pointed towards a very visible keloid patch around the area where the bullet pierced his skin. A section of his calf was transplanted on to the injured area, resulting in the massive scar on his foot. As he attempted to move his leg, the lower half of the damaged limb jolted to the left while the upper part went to the right, signifying bone separation.

His face was one of frustration, and his eyes welled up with tears as he explained what transpired on the day when he was shot. He told THE WEEKEND STAR that he was pushing his cart to Sabina Park to sell his coconuts when he was told that the cricket match had been postponed. He decided to park his cart for a while and headed to the other side of the road to urinate.

"Same time, mi see two car a blaze a come up the road. When mi realise, it was two policeman a run down a taxi, and one a dem fire a shot after the taxi man, and it catch mi in mi foot. Dem not even did stop to help me," Tulloch recalled.

No Assistance

Struggling to get his life back on track, Tulloch said that he is yet to receive any assistance from the Government.

"The police dem or the Government nah reach out to mi. All di time mi in the hospital, mi nuh see dem. Mi hear say dem did come one time but mi did deh a theatre, but mi nuh see dem back. When mi get discharged, mi end up have to go up a [National] Chest Hospital three times a week, and a $2,000 it used to cost mi on taxi for each trip. Mi spend out everything weh mi have, and mi caah work now," he said.

Contacted by THE WEEKEND STAR, Denyelle Anderson, public relations officer at the Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM), the body that investigates incidents of abuse by members of the security forces, said that the entity was still investigating the incident.

"We got the medical certificate at the end of last year, so the next thing is the completion of the commissioner's report. Because this incident is being investigated by INDECOM, the police will not be in contact with Mr Tulloch, so we will explain that to him and also explain how the process works," she said.