Police Commissioner Stephen Williams is expected to forward the police report on Sunday’s shooting of 23-year-old Beetham resident Christopher Greaves to the Police Complaints Authority (PCA) today. PCA director Gillian Lucky revealed this to Greaves’ family at their Beetham Gardens home yesterday. Lucky, who felt it was her duty to pay a personal visit to the family, said the PCA started investigating the shooting 12 hours after it occurred.
She assured the family that no stone would be left unturned and no cover-up would take place during the investigation. Greaves was shot and killed by police on Sunday afternoon while returning from a shop two streets away from his Fifth Street home. While police have maintained that Greaves was carrying a weapon, Beetham residents took to the Priority Bus Route and the Beetham Highway on Sunday and Monday to protest, claiming that Greaves was unarmed and a victim of police brutality.
Lucky yesterday promised a thorough investigation and asked residents to cease all violent protests and to stop burning tyres and throwing objects, as it had made matters worse. “We need to focus on the real situation,” she said, “and that is the circumstance under which this young man was killed.” She said citizens should not have to worry that when they are driving through the Beetham they would be attacked.
“This morning I called the Commissioner of Police and made it clear to him that I want the report from the police officers involved in the shooting and I was told that DCP (Mervyn) Richardson would complete the report within 72 hours of the shooting,” she said. “The report should be in my office by tomorrow (today).” Lucky said the PCA also had an independent investigator witness Greaves’ autopsy yesterday.
“We have also received information from witnesses and I am asking everybody else with information to bring it forward,” she said. Lucky said the PCA would be actively monitoring the situation. “We did it in Moruga, and as you know, that matter went to court,” she said.
“We did it in Sea Lots and we will do it in Beetham. There will be no covering up of evidence, but expect the police to use the scientific evidence available.
“I can’t tell you what the scientific evidence will show. What I can tell you is we will do everything necessary. Where the chips fall, so they fall. “I have told the commissioner we must rely on scientific evidence. If a firearm was found, it has to be tested. “We want to see whose fingerprints are on it, because they can’t just say they found a firearm. Science has moved forward enough to tell us what we need to know.”
Greaves’ mother Annette asked Lucky several questions about details the autopsy showed, the reason why police allowed Greaves to bleed in the alley and the reason for the aggressive police response to the protest. While Annette said she was glad Lucky had visited, she said it could not take away from the pain of losing her son. “When you bring forth a child you will feel pain, so you must feel pain when your child dies,” she said. She also appealed for President Anthony Carmona to take note of the situation.
“The police are as wicked as the bandits...they are mafia police,” she said. “I know everything is in God’s hands and I know my son’s soul will rest in peace.”