A teen suspected of housebreaking was shot by police yesterday and was in hospital in critical condition, according to police.
Police said the 18-year-old suspect of St. James Road, off Shirley Street, was shot around 9:30 a.m.
Officers were responding to a housebreaking on Reivax Drive, Penny Saving Bank Subdivision, when they were confronted by the suspect armed with a knife, police said.
Police did not provide further details.
Asked about the shooting yesterday and whether police shield information regarding shootings which involve officers, Commissioner Ellison Greensalde said, “We are not protective when there is a police-involved shooting.
“What we do particularly when it is a fatal police-involved shooting, is we ensure that Her Majesty’s coroner is notified and attends at the scene and we move to wrap those investigations up at the scene.
“The file is then passed to [the coroner] and the investigation is not complete. [The coroner] will then convene a coroner’s inquest if he or she so determines and further investigate if there is culpability on behalf of the police.
“We have had matters where police officers have been charged as a result of rulings from a Coroner’s Court. At the same time where there is no culpability, [the coroner] is able to report to the family that there is no culpability and the shooting is justified.”
According to The Nassau Guardian’s records, there were 22 non-fatal police-involved shootings this year so far: three suspects were shot by police in February; two in March; one in April; three in May; four in June; five in July; two in August and two in September.
Additionally, there were six fatal shootings. One suspect was shot dead by police in March; one in April; one in May; two in June and one so far in September.
“All of those files have gone to [the coroner],” said Greenslade, referring to the fatal cases.
“If a person in this community brandishes an illegal firearm or even a legal firearm but points it at a police officer, the officers are going to react and do what is necessary by law.
“I’ve looked at all of the files and I am satisfied that all of them would have been investigated and that they have all gone on to [the coroner].
“In all of those cases except one, the victims were armed with illegal firearms. In all cases year-to- date, and while I have my feelings about them, the commissioner does not have that opportunity to speak to what my opinion is because the matter is with [the coroner].”
He said police take those cases very seriously.
Krystel Rolle
The Nassau Guardian
