Bus driver shot in Spaldings bus seizure drama

Spaldings, Clarendon:

Tempers flared in the town of Spaldings, Clarendon, yesterday morning after a police officer shot a bus driver who attacked him while the officers were attempting to seize his vehicle for operating contrary to his road licence and other breaches.

The driver, who is from a Wild Cane address in St Ann, is said to ply dual routes and regularly transport students from Brown’s Town in St Ann to Knox Community College in Spaldings.

Shortly after dropping off the students yesterday morning, the driver was stopped by a police team and was found to be operating contrary to his route. The services of a wrecking company subsequently sought. Eyewitnesses claim that during the period of inspection, the police also began removing the tint from the bus.

A video recording of the incident shows the driver exiting the bus while it is being placed on the wrecker.

He later shoves the policeman, who then reaches for his gun. An explosion is heard, and the man can be seen still tussling with the cop.

Explosions heard

Moments after, other explosions are heard, and the driver is later seen on the ground suffering from what was later disclosed to be gunshot wounds.

He was taken to the Percy Junor Hospital and went into emergency surgery and was said to be in stable but critical condition yesterday afternoon. A relative of the driver revealed that he was shot in the abdomen and back, and he also has an ongoing court case with the police officer in question.

“I am torn apart right now because me tired fi hear [the officer] target [the driver ] time and time again because I am the one who goes to bail him (the driver) most of the time … . This is not right.

“Even this that take place this morning never called for.

“The driver plead with the man, all of us a plead with the man, and yet still … . This is so unfair,” said a close friend of the driver.

In the aftermath of the shooting, a police service vehicle was badly damaged and reinforcement had to be called in to restore order in the area, the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) said in a release yesterday.

It said an investigation is being led by the Inspectorate of Constabulary and the matter has been reported to the Independent Commission of Investigations.