No body cameras worn by police in shooting death of Hanover brothers - INDECOM
Published:Wednesday | June 5, 2024 | 6:46 PM
The Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM) says members of the police team involved in the shooting death of two brothers in Green Island yesterday were not wearing body cameras.
Residents have challenged cops' account of the incident that left 24-year-old Enrique 'Punky' Harvey and 26-year-old Romaine Harvey dead.
No body cameras were issued or worn during the incident, the oversight body said in a statement Wednesday.
According to INDECOM, the police report that Enrique Harvey was taken to his home for a search to be conducted, where he is alleged to have pulled a firearm on the officers.
The officers allegedly took evasive action and fired at him in response.
Two other officers reported that Romaine was seen running towards them with a gun pointed in their direction. The fired at Romaine.
Both men received injuries and were pronounced dead at hospital.
Two firearms were reportedly recovered from the scene.
"Citizens have provided conflicting accounts and complained about the alleged actions of the concerned officers, which resulted in the death of two men," INDECOM said.
Residents of the Logwood blocked sections of the road leading to their community over what they describe as police brutality. "No confrontation nuh gwan round here. Dem tek Punky carry him go kill him a him bedside. And dem shoot Romaine because him did a go look wah happen to his brother," one grieving resident told The Gleaner.
INDECOM said its forensic personnel examined, processed and packaged the evidential material recovered from the scene. The hands of the deceased men were swabbed for DNA testing and their bodies were photographed and sealed, pending post mortem examination.
So far this year, 59 persons have been shot and killed by the security forces, of which four occurred in June.
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