Lilliput residents enraged - Say police shot man in cold blood

No. 68 Friday, March 19, 2010
Following a mysterious shooting in Wagon Wheel, Lilliput in St. James on Wednesday, March 10, and a confrontation with police the next day, two people were left with gun shot wounds while two others are now dead.

    The second shooting occurred when police in St. James came searching for Donald Smith, also known as 'Scarrie' and Barrington Morgan who they believe were suspects in Wednesday's shooting.
    Community members told the Western Mirror, that on Thursday night (the following day) the police came to search for the men and informed them that Smith and Barrington were involved in the Wednesday night shooting. The law men returned to the community at about 1 p.m. on the same day and found Smith with whom a gun battle is said to have ensued. Smith was killed, and his body removed to the morgue.
    Barrington Morgan, whose car was parked across the street from Smith's house, was not found. Community members are stating that Smith was killed in cold blood by the law men.
    An alleged eyewitness told the Western Mirror that on Thursday when the police arrived at Smith's house, he was asleep.
    "I had just visited Smith just before the police drove up to the house and 1 left him sleeping. 1 saw the lawmen entering the house. Smith's girlfriend answered the door and in space of a minute 1 heard five explosions coming from the house. All his children and his children's mother were inside the house at this time," the eyewitness said.
    A report reaching the Western Mirror is that, before Smith's death, he was on a murder charge and right before his killing he was granted bail.
    It is alleged that, in court, the judge told the investigating officer to return with evidence and Smith was granted bail on the condition that he report to the police station daily.
    Members of the community who are also eyewitnesses of the Wednesday night incident have allegedly given statements indicating that the alleged gunmen were not among the three men they saw on Wednesday, participating in the shooting.
    Janet Morgan, wife of Barrington Morgan told the Western Mirror that the police's charge of her husband's involvement in Wednesday's shooting is false.
    "On Wednesday my husband was at work. His car was parked across from Smith's house where a mechanic was working on it. That is why they choose to use his name as a suspect," she added.
    She further went on to say "after my husband realized that his name was published as a wanted man, he went to the Assistant Commissioner of St. James to give himself up and plead not guilty but the officers took the opportunity to arrest and charge him."
    No report on the situation was made by the Constabulary Communications Network, up-to press time.