Fiery protest disrupts schools, commerce along Mt View Avenue after ‘spooky’, fatal police shooting
Published:Monday | February 3, 2025 | 4:42 PMAndre Williams/Staff Reporter
Fifty-five-year-old Eric Shakespeare, reported to be a former member of the United States military and deportee, became the latest fatality at the hands of the police along Mountain View Avenue in Kingston yesterday morning.
The incident, which occurred around 8:50 a.m., triggered a fiery protest resulting in the suspension of schools and disruption of businesses along the busy thoroughfare, as residents took to the street in anger, pointed fingers at the police and claimed they had committed an extrajudicial killing.
Roadblocks and fire were set to debris at different sections of Mountain View Avenue, from the entrance of Mountain View Primary to the Bygrave Avenue intersection.
Shakespeare was fatally shot inside his home, located at the corner of Munster Road.
According to police, Shakespeare was a high-ranking member of the Backbush Gang.
Angry residents, however, told The Gleaner that the killing was “spooky” and the alleged behaviour of the policemen during and in the aftermath appeared suspicious.
“Any bad character dem want to paint of ‘X’, that a when him deh a foreign because him get deported years ago but him come here so and nuh wanted pon nuh gun or drugs,” a resident said.
“A bandoloo cigarette him sell, him ride pon him bike get around ... the policeman up there tell me say dem tell him drop him gun, but how can a man a bathe and have him gun? Them wrap him up inna him shower curtain and bring him out and dem same one wash out the blood. They even took down him camera. Why they did that?” another resident queried.
One of the residents said a teacher at Mountain View Primary sent a voice note in the parents’ group.
“Good afternoon parents. You are asked to pick up your children now, right now. I heard that ‘ruption is out on the road and the principal is asking all parents to collect their children now, as soon as possible,” the voice on the voice note played by the parent said.
Residents also alleged that the policemen removed items from the deceased man’s house.
“A man weh have him money, him woman a foreign take care of him, him nuh party and a man weh have him clothes dem weh him nuh wear… . Every morning him get up and jog and do him exercise and sweep up his yard, everybody see him daily,” a resident said, adding that Shakespeare’s death took everyone by surprise.
The Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM) attended the scene and are investigating the police fatal shooting incident.
INDECOM stated that it was alleged that a police team breached a room, and a man was seen with a firearm pointed at the lawmen.
The police reportedly fired at the man in response.
The man was pronounced dead at hospital.
A Smith and Wesson 9mm pistol was reported as retrieved from the incident scene.
“The incident scene was examined and the evidential material [was] recovered, was processed and packaged. The hands of the deceased were swabbed for gunshot residue. The concerned officers were served with Section 21 Notices, pursuant to the Independent Commission of Investigations Act, 2010, to submit statements and interviews will be scheduled,” INDECOM said in a release.
INDECOM noted the residents’ protest over Shakespeare’s death and encouraged them to participate in the investigative process by providing any information they believed could assist.
To date, 22 persons have been fatally shot by the security forces since the start of the year.