REAL NEWS: What some residents view as the Police’s “reckless” discharge of rubber bullets and live rounds in the heart of the city, last week, reportedly almost injured a motorist.
In a widely circulated video, police officers are seen attempting to subdue a young man with mental challenges, last Thursday, August 31.
In the process, an officer discharges a firearm in the midst of moving traffic and pedestrians, many of whom had to run out of the way.
The officer was shooting at Rashawn Shabazz, who reportedly had been throwing stones and being a nuisance to persons in the Perry Bay area, while being armed with a knife.
Now, REAL News has received information that a 60-year-old All Saints man was nearly injured during the incident, and he has made a complaint to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID). It is alleged that the left side mirror of his Hyundai vehicle was struck by a stray bullet during the police operation on Lower Vivian Richards Street near the Bridge Service Station.
A source says the man was fortunate that the bullet damaged only his vehicle and did not strike him. And she accuses the police officer of having been irresponsible as he tried to subdue the suspect, since other persons could have been seriously injured. Even if the suspect had been deemed a threat to the public, the source says, discharging live rounds in a public space is dangerous.
Further, she says, at the time he was shot, the mentally challenged man was running away, after having already struck the officer with a stone.
This incident occurred at about 11:35 a.m. on the day in question. In a related incident, the mother of Rashawn Shabazz, the shooting victim, also reported to the Police that he had injured her earlier that morning, at about 4:50 a.m.
The woman, a resident of No. 2 George Street, is alleged to have telephoned the Grays Farm Police Station and complained that Shabazz had wounded her.
Officers reportedly went to the home, where the woman told them that her son had thrown a stone through her bedroom window and it had struck her at the back of the head.
She was reportedly instructed, by the officers, to seek medical attention for her injury.
The officers also made observations of the damaged window and
noted that two panes of louvre glass had been broken by the stone.
A search reportedly was conducted for Shabazz, but he was nowhere to be found – until later that morning, when he was confronted and shot by the Police after menacing people in the Perry Bay area.
Shabazz was shot in the lower abdominal area and has lost a kidney, which was damaged by a bullet. He remains a patient in stable condition at the Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre.
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sorry about ur mirror sir,but this man was dangerous he injured his own mother am glad the police killed him I fnt care if he’s mentally disturbed he could a killed someone or even me if I was in his way so honestly as a citizen am glad that he is dead ppl like that should not be allowed to walk the street
sorry if I sound cold hearted but am glad he’s dead. just because he’s mental dnt make it 9k to pelt stone at a police offiver ppl talking about he was mental he was mental who cares!!!!
the police had no other way to take him down
I hope you never encounter any break in your psyche as maybe you’ll kill yourself as according to you people with mental issues having episodes deserve to die. You sounded very intelligent
Mental people should be off the streets
Mmmm, please take time to write properly. If you had read other articles, you would have heard that the young man’s family has been seeking help for 17 years. They have been crying out for help but been given the run around and been ignored. This young man has competed and won medals at Carifta as a teenager. This is no way to treat a former athlete! If his family’s concerns had been taken seriously by the health officials and Clarevue officials, he could have been leading a productive life. The Minister of Health has a lot to answer for. For shame!
” Shabazz was shot in the lower abdominal area and has lost a kidney, which was damaged by a bullet ” Smile! Suppose this young man was killed during the operation.
Would this be another innocent life lost for nothing. Would this be another ” Noyce ” a mentally ill person biting the dust because of police been irresponsible?
Our police need to be properly trained & equipped with the right tools when going to apprehend a perpetrator. The erratic behavior of a young man does not justify the police to use live ammunition to apprehend the him.
The protection of life of an individual should be paramount on the police agenda. The police job is to ensure that the law is upheld and that should be done with very little attempt to take a life while carrying out their duties regardless of the situation.
ANR
When will you report that this same man was previously shot by the police while he was in prison.
The police should have left the perpetrator until he harmed a civilian then they could have taken action. The police would have been seen as heroes if they acted after someone got hurt by the crazy man.
Since the police acted too soon to subdue the man the people are not going to realize that the police saved them from a terrible situation.
so the system set up ! ministry of health slack and the police trigger happy !
the innocent will pay…..
Just pray you don’t be in the wrong place at the wrong time people.
So because of a former incident, this justifies shooting this man? Wow!
Atlee Rodney, you should be fired forthwith. You are a disgrace to the office. You and Shamu Cutie Benjamin. The public deserves better that you two. And you dare to attempt dumbing down the violence perpetrated by the police in recent times. Antigua and Barbuda, one can only imagine the degradation and horror we face if this continues.
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