Vanessa Kirkland murder trial | Cops say they came under fire in pursuit of robbers
Published:Tuesday | January 29, 2019 | 12:00 AM
The three cops on trial for the 2012 murder of 16-year-old Immaculate Conception High student Vanessa Kirkland said that they acted in self-defence when they opened fire on the blue Suzuki Swift motor car in which the schoolgirl was an occupant.
As the murder trial continued yesterday at the Home Circuit Court in downtown Kingston, the prosecution admitted into evidence the statements collected from the accused cops soon after the March 20, 2012, incident.
Constable Andrewain Smith said in his statement that after hearing explosions consistent with gunshots originating from the blue Suzuki Swift motor car, he exited the police service vehicle to take evasive action.
“I became fearful for my life and the life of my colleagues and discharged several rounds from my Glock pistol in the direction from which the explosions were coming from. I then observed the two front doors of the said Suzuki Swift flung open and two men alighted from the said blue Suzuki Swift motor car.
“Both [were] armed with handguns and pointed the firearms in my direction and continued to fire at me. I discharged several more rounds in their direction, and they ran in separate directions and escaped. I also heard explosions coming from my left, from my colleagues, ” the statement said as it was read into evidence.
The statement by Constable Durvin Hayles indicated that he acted in a similar manner. On hearing explosions sounding like gunshots coming from the Suzuki motor car, he said he exited the service vehicle and discharged four rounds from his M-16 rifle.
Constable Anna-Kay Bailey, in her statement, had a similar account of the events. She also fired shots in the direction of the vehicle.
All three constables said that the men escaped.
Their statements indicate that they were on patrol in the St Andrew South Police Division when a transmission was sent out about 9:20 p.m. that a robbery had just taken place in Passagefort, Portmore. The suspects were said to be driving a blue Suzuki Swift motor car with registration number 8273FV.
At 9:35 p.m., the cops, who said they were travelling along Spanish Town Road in St Andrew, said they saw the vehicle in question travelling in the opposite direction and decided to pursue it.
Despite having on their beacon lights and using the car horn to signal the vehicle to stop, it continued along the roadway and was eventually chased on to Norman Lane, where the shooting incident occurred.
The cops say a gun was found close to the driver’s door of the car after the incident.