~ Peaceful protest ensued ~
NEGRIL, Jamaica--Two men were reportedly shot and killed by the police in Red Ground, Negril, Westmoreland, on Monday evening.
The deceased have been identified as 40-year-old Richard Mosley and 25-year-old Shane Grandison, a tour bus operator. Both are from the community.
Reports are that police officers assigned to specialised operations were on mobile patrol duties in the Negril police area when they intercepted a white Toyota Corolla Fielder motorcar.
It is alleged that the officers were fired at and in fear of their lives, took evasive action and returned gunfire in the direction of the motorcar. It is said that one of the men ran from the motorcar and eluded the police.
When the shooting subsided, Mosely and Grandison were seen suffering from gunshot wounds. They were rushed to the Savanna-la-Mar Public General Hospital, where they were pronounced dead on arrival.
Grandison's family and friends have since taken to social media to dispel reports that he was gunman.
The police are reporting that one Glock 19 pistol with a magazine containing two nine-millimetre rounds was found on the scene.
No police officer was harmed during the incident.
Protest staged
Family and friends of Grandison and Mosely staged a protest on Tuesday morning. More than 20 placard-bearing people held a peaceful demonstration in front of the Negril Police Station in the heart of the town as members of a police team kept a watchful eye.
Grandison's mother Ingrid Grandison told Observer Online that her son is innocent.
"He's a [University of Technology – Ed.] UTECH student; my husband and my father died in 2020, and he came home to help me in my family business," the distraught mother said, revealing that her son recently got approved for a gun licence.
"What a person like that who just get approved for a gun licence, went and bought the gun and everything. He's waiting on his ID [card] to go back for the gun. He has everything going on for him, and he's not mad. Why would he shoot at a police?" the distressed mother questioned.
"I hope justice will be served. My heart out of my body. This boy was my heartbeat," she continued.
Mosley's mother, Joanna Young is also hoping to get justice for her son.
"He's a jovial person, everybody and him a friend and mi wah justice for him because I know him don't shoot after nobody," Young stated.
The relatives and friends of the deceased have vowed to continue the protest until they get justice.
Meanwhile, Zone Four Commander for the Little London and Negril police division, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Shaunjaye Mitchell told Observer Online that the Independent Commission of Investigations INDECOM is currently conducting a probe into the incident.
"Sometime last evening [Monday] we had an incident in the Red Ground area where two men were fatally shot by the police during a confrontation. A firearm was recovered and at this moment relatives are protesting the death of at least one of the persons," DSP Mitchell said. ~ Jamaica Observer ~
