Man shot after allegedly attacking cop

A motorist who allegedly assaulted and spat in the face of an off-duty police officer yesterday was fatally shot by the cop along Windward Road in east Kingston.

An investigator on the scene told the news team that sometime after 10 a.m., the cop was heading home from church when he attempted to quell a confrontation between two men.

"Based on eyewitnesses reports, two motorists had a minor collision and got in a tussle. The policeman who was heading home from church saw what happened and identified himself as a police officer. One of the motorists walked away but the other started pointing in his face and later spit in the face of the officer," he said.

"He was behaving really badly based on what we were told, and after spitting in the police face, he went in his van for a weapon and was heading back towards the police who shot him once in the upper body," the investigator added. Superintendent Tommie-Lee Chambers, head of the Kingston East Police Division, confirmed the reports. She said the cop is a member of the Community Safety and Security Branch. The Independent Commission of Investigations has launched a probe into the incident.

The van that was being driven by the man was still parked almost in the middle of the road where the incident took place. Dozens of onlookers converged on the scene. According to an alleged eyewitness, things could have ended in a more peaceful manner if the motorist was not enraged.

"One a di time mi did a tell mi self say the police could a probable shoot him inna him foot fi slow him down but when mi think bout it, yuh can't spit inna people face because a di worse insult dat. The man reach as far as fi a push di police, enuh. We can't just a bad up we self suh, a just a little accident. So it better him did gwan home or go report it a di station," she said.

The shooting took place while service was in progress at a nearby church but the uproar did not prevent the congregation from giving praises to the Almighty. However, some of the members were a bit disgruntled when they were told that they would have to remain in the church yard until the scene was processed by detectives. One woman who attempted to walk through the cordoned area was ushered back into the church yard by a cop.

'We told them to pause or end the service until the scene was processed and the tapes were pulled but they refused. They could have continued the church [service] after but they didn't, so now they will have to wait until everything is finished. Walking through a crime scene without permission could come with a serious charge," he said.