[UPDATED] Covigne Road residents in shock as man, 22, dies in police-involved shooting

SEAN DOUGLAS AND RHIANNA MC KENZIE

RESIDENTS of Covigne Road, Diego Martin erupted in rage on Wednesday morning, protesting the killing of a 22-year-old man by police in the area.

Several residents alleged serious police misconduct, one telling Newsday the killing had come after certain officers had previously threatened to harm local youth.

Residents told Newsday police entered the home of Jonah “Kirby” Gordon of Spaniol Road and shot him several times.

“They killed him in the house and lift him up to lie down by a lamppost,” said one resident, who requested anonymity.

Residents protested on Wednesday morning by burning tyres, and blocking the road. Newsaday saw barricades at the Diego Martin Main Road plus two just higher and just lower than the Covigne Road WASA booster station.

“It was terrible,” said a female relative. “I was afraid to walk back down the road after. Nobody was cursing the police or anything. Just (because of) the fact that villagers called them criminals, they were pepper-spraying people in the eye and hitting them.”

She said Gordon’s mother called her and asked her to come with her to the police station after the shooting. She said Gordon’s mother told her the police announced themselves at the door and entered the house before shooting him.

“He now start to work hard and bought a car. My little sister can’t catch herself. His mother is in a mess. We just lost our father to cancer.”

The relative said Gordon was recently accepted into the army.

“He was a child,” said another resident who wished to remain anonymous. “He didn’t give nobody any trouble. He had no criminal record.”

Police reports said Western Division Task Force officers went to Gordon’s home in search of arms and ammunition.

Police said when they arrived they were shot at and returned fire, wounding Gordon.

The incident occurred at about 6 am, police said.

When Newsday returned that evening, a mood of despondency prevailed among residents, emotions smouldering just as the charred bags of garbage and grass which half-blocked Diego Martin Main Road at the foot of Covigne Road. The five various people Newsday spoke to alleged police wrongdoing in shooting Gordon.

People wanted their story out but spoke guardedly and anonymously to Newsday.

"The police shot a little boy, 22. When police say he shot, it is a lie," one family-man told Newsday.

One man alleged that certain police officers in the area were corrupt. He said the police had shot Gordon "without him opposing them."

"He opened his door and ten shots were heard, five hitting him. He was a well-loved individual. He may not have lived the best life but he had the potential.

"Officers have often told us they will kill us."

The man said Gordon had not shot at the police, whether or not he had a gun.

Newsday climbed about 50 concrete steps cast into the hillside to visit Gordon's home, a modest one-room structure built of clay-blocks, unplastered and unpainted.

His mother in her house nearby was too distraught to come out to talk to Newsday.

Another family member said he was at a loss for words at Gordon's death. "I'm speechless. No words."

He said Gordon had once been an athlete at Diego Martin Boys RC School and had run for a club called Cougars.

"He used to look out for the people."

Asked about any reason the police might want to harm Gordon, he replied, "They have to answer that question."

One resident told Newsday, "It's just the way it happened. They could have used less force, the amount of them it had."

He said "two vanloads" of at least eight officers had been present. "It happened early morning when most people were not even up.

"He had no gun or anything like that."

The resident disputed the police account shown on the Beyond the Tape television programme as mere propaganda which had shown the wrong house as the scene of death.

He said after the shooting, the police had asked a neighbour to use his vehicle to take out the dying man, but had then transfered Gordon to a police vehicle.

He alleged the police had taken an inordinately long time to get the wounded man out.

"They spent a good 15 minutes to move him off from the spot after transfering him to a police van."

Newsday's second interviewee said Gordon was "a well-loved individual."

"I enjoyed every minute with him. He was never a person to get upset. He knew what it was like to not have a dollar, just like me. Around here we all live with love and unity."

As Newsday left, we saw about ten heavily-armed police officers clad in dark camouflage uniforms and helmets, faces covered in masks, some seemingly strapped with tear-gas cannisters, standing on the narrow, sloping and heavily-peopled road.

This story was originally published with the title "Police kill 22-year-old Diego Martin man" and has been adjusted to include additional details. See original post below.

Residents of Covigne Road, Diego Martin erupted in rage on Wednesday morning, protesting the killing of a 22-year-old man by police in the area.

Residents told Newsday police entered the home of Jonah “Kirby” Gordon of Spaniol Road and shot him several times.

“They killed him in the house and lift him up to lie down by a lamppost,” said one resident, who requested anonymity.

Residents protested this morning by burning tyres, and blocking the road.

“It was terrible,” said Gordon’s relative. “I was afraid to walk back down the road after. Nobody was cursing the police or anything. Just (because of) the fact that villagers called them criminals, they were pepper-spraying people in the eye and hitting them.”

She said Gordon’s mother called her and asked her to come with her to the police station after the shooting. She said Gordon’s mother told her the police announced themselves at the door and entered the house before shooting him.

“He now start to work hard and bought a car. My little sister can’t catch herself. His mother is in a mess. We just lost our father to cancer.”

Goodridge said Gordon was recently accepted into the army.

“He was a child,” said another resident who wished to remain anonymous. “He didn’t give nobody any trouble. He had no criminal record.”

Police reports said Western Division Task Force officers went to Gordon’s home in search of arms and ammunition.

Police said when they arrived they were shot at and returned fire, wounding Gordon.

The incident occurred at about 6 am, police said.