A 20-year-old man from Bon Air Gardens, Arouca, was shot dead by police during an incident at a family day in the community on the Indian Arrival Day holiday on Tuesday. A police officer was shot in his leg in the same incident.
According to reports, around 6 pm Keegan “Smalls” Jones was liming at a sports and family day at the Bon Air West Recreation Ground when he had an argument with a close female relative.
Police on duty at the event reportedly spoke to Jones and asked him to leave. He complied, but returned a short while later and immediately began arguing with the woman. Jones reportedly then drew a firearm hidden in his pants and fired a gunshot in the air.
Police responded and chased after Jones. He reportedly fired at the officers, hitting acting Inspector Keavin Greene once in his leg. The officers returned fire and Jones was shot in his head. He died on the scene and was pronounced dead by a District Medical Officer (DMO).
Greene was taken to the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex in Mt Hope, where underwent surgery yesterday and remained warded.
Contacted for an update on Greene’s condition yesterday, head of the Northern Division, Senior Supt McDonald Jacob, said: “He is doing good. He is warded and scheduled to undergo another operation soon.”
The T&T Guardian received a voice note recording from Jones’ relative, who witnessed the incident. The relative did not deny police claims that Jones was a member of a gang in the community.
“He had his gun and thing. You could call him a shooter. I know that is wrong but that is not the side of him we know,” the relative, who did not identity herself, said.
She also claimed that Jones appeared intoxicated before the incident.
“Like he was drunk and he take out his gun to try and dispel the situation. He fire a shot in the air and ran off,” the relative said, as she claimed Jones did not aim at the relative.
The woman said the family was still in shock by the incident and “taking it hard”.
Jones is the 16th person to be killed by police for the year. Investigations are continuing.
