Residents fume as cop allegedly shoots dog

Residents of Text Lane in central Kingston were left angered after a dog was killed on Saturday, allegedly by a policeman.

They said that the canine, known as Oreo, saved their lives on several occasions, as he usually barks whenever there is trouble.

"Yesterday [Saturday] the police come out a di car and him have di handgun in him hand and the dog dem just a bark offa him. Me a walk guh up deh fi say 'move dog' and before me coulda go up deh, the man see say me a come up deh fi move di dog, him just put one shot inna di dog and den him go over him and put one more inna him again. Two shot him gi di dog," one resident said.

The residents explained that the police visited the community to investigate reports of gunshots being fired a few moments earlier.

"Me deh right here so pon the corner and hear like a bike stop outta North Street. Likkle bit afta dat, a bare shot start beat down the lane, like the man dem just empty a clip and tun it down pon the lane. Afta dat done, some boy from down the road, dem come wid some rifle and start fire shot pon we up yah suh. Yuh can hear it a whistle through the tree. The police dem come fi investigate wah gwan and suh comes now dem kill di dog," another resident said.

Superintendent Berrisford Williams, the commander of the Kingston Central Police Division, confirmed that a shooting incident happened about 3 p.m.

"A dog was shot and we are carrying out our internal investigations," he said. "The policeman was removed from frontline duties."

"Our plan is to continue maintain a presence, apprehend the violence producers and dialogue with the community," Williams added.

Residents have grown increasingly frustrated with the longstanding feud between the Darkside and Genasyde gangs. They theorised that Saturday's shooting is a continuation of the war that left more than 30 persons homeless in recent firebombing incidents.

When THE STAR visited the community yesterday, residents admitted that despite the police presence, they were still fearful of reprisals and drive-by shootings.

They said that one of their neighbours could have been killed on Saturday as he had just left a nearby shop when the shooting started.

"Is a juice him go buy, enuh, and him just a walk come round. Is like the man dem just want see say yuh a come from outta di lane fi just kill yuh. We need a ZOSO [zone of special operations] down here, urgently too. We tired a dis now, it nuh safe. Yuh go inna yuh house a night time and still affi a fret. We need peace round here," one resident stressed.