The atmosphere remained tense in Nassau Village yesterday, as some residents of the area invited a “war” between the police and the constituency.
Residents constructed for themselves makeshift barricades of rubble to hinder police access to their community while police, as well as two members of parliament, attempted to bring the heated situation under control.
When The Tribune visited the area yesterday afternoon in the aftermath of Wednesday night’s melee, which left three civilians with gun shot wounds – not two dead as reported in Thursday’s Tribune – numerous angry residents gathered around the scene of the shooting and threatened police with violence.
Police Commissioner Paul Farquharson, accompanied by a large number of senior police officials, went to Nassau Village to try to calm tempers. He tried to reassure residents that a full investigation would take place and asked people with any information or concerns to come forward.
However, the crowd of residents once again became agitated, screaming at the police, accusing them of treating the residents like criminals and using excessive force.
The shouting eventually drowned out Commissioner Farquharson, who stopped trrying to address the crowd at this point.
One female resident rushed forward to show a bruise on her back, which she said happened after she was struck by police. Others begged a reporter not to let the police cover up the story, but said, “Y’all report the truth”.
According to eye-witnesses, the initial riot, which had police and civilians opening fire on each other, began as a consequence of a traffic accident that escalated out of control.
Several of the members of the community claimed the situation deteriorated when police made derogatory comments to a Haitian resident. As a result, it was claimed, violence was used against a 16-year-old girl and one of the residents was shot by police according to witnesses.
Shortly after 7pm on Wednesday police were called to a traffic accident in Nassau Village, Kennedy subdivision, in which an elderly Haitian lady had reportedly been hit by a vehicle.
Two motorcycle officers responded to the call and were investigating the accident, when according to eye-witnesses, a Haitian man, identified only as Mr. Simeus, stepped forward and inquired about the whereabouts of the ambulance.
Residents of the area claim that Mr. Simeus was met with derogatory comments and that his 16-year-old daughter, Guyanne Simeus, came to the defense of her father.
Eye witnesses alleged that the two officers first hit Guyanne in the head with a gun and then shot her brother, Wilson Simeus, in the jaw.
The Tribune
