KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent, May 14, IWN – The prisoner shot and killed by police inside a court building in Kingstown on Tuesday was in handcuffs moments before he met his death, a court reporter tells I-Witness News.
Police shot and killed Anthony “Scarface” Hamilton in the vicinity of the washroom of the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court.
Hamilton met his death a few weeks after he was released from prison, having served 16 years for rape.
Since his release, he was freed of a charge relating to an alleged threat on the life of Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves.
He was in court on Tuesday in connection with a robbery charge and was said to have been in the holding area of the Serious Offences Court before being escorted to the washroom.
Hamilton’s death brings to four the number of persons shot by police here over the past 10 days. The three other persons, including a man who escaped police custody during questioning, survived their injuries.
Journalist Ashford Peter told I-Witness News that just before Hamilton was shot, he saw two cops escorting the handcuffed prisoner.
The plain clothes officer and his grey and black uniform colleague were escorting Hamilton from the second storey of the building in Paul Avenue, where the Serious Offences Court is located, to the ground floor, which houses the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court – which was not in session.
“About a minute and a half after, I saw somebody run coming out and gasping, saying, ‘There was a shooting! There was a shooting!’” Peters recounted.
“I immediately proceeded into the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court and I saw Hamilton — part of his body — lying facedown on the floor … in the area of the bathroom,” Peter said.
He said the woman who spoke of the shooting seemed to be an office worker in the building, which also houses the Family Services Division.
“She was kind of like almost traumatised and she was holding her chest and telling a lawyer who was just coming to court that somebody had got shot; [that] there is a shooting inside the court.
“So, immediately, I proceeded with the lawyer into the area. At the time, only two police officers were there. And, … realising that it is potentially a crime scene, I came back [outside]” said Peters, a former cop.
Peters said that Hamilton was calm when he saw him being escorted by the police officers.
“When I saw him, he wasn’t saying anything. He was walking along with them. … I was in the company of somebody and I saw him for about three seconds…” Peters said.
He said that it is standard for two officers to escort prisoners to the bathroom but not all prisoners are handcuffed when being taken there.
“Sometimes, they are handcuffed; sometimes, they are not,” he said.
Peters, however, said that while Hamilton was handcuffed when the officers were escorting him, he could not say if the handcuffs were still on after the shooting.
“I couldn’t have seen, at the time, that part of his body … and he was lying kind of more on his stomach,” Peters told I-Witness News.
Prime Minister Gonsalves, who is also Minister of National Security, told a pre-planned press conference Tuesday afternoon that he had been briefed on the broad details of the incident but was awaiting a written report from the police chief.
Peters spoke to I-Witness News shortly after the Prime Minister’s press briefing.
“I don’t know if I should say it. But there are certain things… that I also observed [at the court], but, because I don’t know what might happen in terms of the investigation, I cannot say. “… Just a while ago, as I was in the press conference there, what I saw was actually replaying in my mind and after a while I couldn’t concentrate on what was going on. I just wanted to be out,” he told I-Witness News.
Reports say that Hamilton was shot after he attempted to escape.
Security mechanisms at the court building have been improved after some prisoners escaped, having smearing the walls and themselves with faeces.
And Peters said that based on his knowledge of the building and his training as a former cop he does not think it is that easy for a prisoner to escape in light of the improved security.
“Well, what has happened, since several incidents of persons smearing the walls with faeces and effecting their escape, the court, or the administration, has put in some security measures, in that they have put burglar bars on the window, and there is a security panel door, which means there are two doors when you are going into the magistrate’s office or through that toilet area.
“You have to pass through the main door, which opens onto the street, and then there is a security door inside. So there is a security door you have to pass through. You must know the code to open that,” Peters said.
And Peters said the doors might have muffled the gunshot(s).
“I didn’t hear any shots. And, my belief is that because of the double doors the sounds might have been stifled.”
Peters said that as a court and crime reporter he has known Hamilton for about 17 years.
“… he is a known character, trouble maker — has been involved in a lot of crimes for which he has been convicted, because he himself told me he has been involved in rape and those things, during an interview.”
Peters said that after Hamilton’s release from prison he was pleading for help with building a house.
“He did tell me that the Family Affairs Division and other arms of government were trying to help him with a house, because he said on release from prison he had no place to go and he was very concerned….
“That was one of his major concerns: that he needed a shelter.”
The POLICE STATE has arrived. Its about time for Amnesty International or some other human rights organisation to pay a visit to St. Vincent to investigate the frequent shooting of unarmed citizens by the police force. These Police officers are certainly out of control. These actions by the Police Force is meant to create fear of the Police, in the hearts and minds of our people. I cant find a suitable word to describe the state of our Police Department, but its not pretty or comforting to any civilian. Heaven know who would be their next victim. The GESTAPO on the march.
I am certain our Forensic Psychologist will get to the bottom of this shooting and all the other unsolved crimes in SVG. She is ASP Blake and you can take that to the bank.
TEACHERFANG, are you talking about the child ASP?
see
http://i-witness-news.com/2010/10/26/pm-defends-24-year-old-assistant-superintendent-of-police-enlistment/#comment-15863
WAS THIS MAN ASSASSINATED?
see
http://i-witness-news.com/2013/04/12/vincentian-police-out-of-control-opinion/
I hate to keep saying I told you so, but I did tell you so on numerous occasions, that the Police are out of control.
All these things are happening under the watch of Ralph Gonsalves who is Minister of National Security, and in charge of the police.
Call me stupid, but I’m all for a radical approach to the crime problem in SVG… the police are there to protect us and if these criminals (and in turn civilians) don’t fear the police, then they are useless!! Last week when there were two murders everybody was asking what was the police going to do about these crimes.. now we criticizing them for this shooting!!! Scarface wasn’t no “sweetbread” and he was in court for assault, robbery, and attempted rape!!
Yes Peter, Ms Similac. Can you imagine this young lady interviewing some hardcore criminal who just chopped off his woman’s head. Am excuse me, sir, am in your own words, tell me, what drove you to decapitate your fiance’s head…Bi ch what? decap what? WTF? No one drove me here.bi ch…I will chop your head off too, if you keep asking me these dotish questions…ok sir that’s all for now,, it is clear, you are quite emotional, and just need some time to think over what you you did…with proper therapy and time out, I think there is a good chance for rehabilitation.
Six months later in the news:Another body of a female was discovered in the area of killvale with her throat slit…police has a suspect in custody. This suspect was just released from confinement having served six months for the killing of his girlfriend…at the time,the resident Forensic Psychologist stated that the suspect had an emotional break with reality and recommended therapy and time out…it was a shock to all concern that the DPP took this recommendation. It is said that no one questions the resident FP as her words and deeds are sacrosanct. Since the arrival of the FP, the Human Rights World Organisation,have named SVG of having the most EMOTIONAL criminals in the world..
Eric, go and take your MEDICATION because you’re just plain CLUELESS.
SCARFACE was a MENACE to SOCIETY and was a BURDEN on the TAXPAYERS of this BLESSED NATION.
SVG is now a SAFER PLACE, because no LONGER will he be able to TERRORIZE INNOCENT Vincentians.
Imagine you actually have bloggers who talks about crime getting out of control are now giving the impression of supporting a man who TERRORIZED VINCENTIANS over that of the police.
SO YOU VINCYPOWA, AGREE WITH TERMINATION OF THIS MANS LIFE BY THE STATE.
It wouldn’t surprise me in the least if the man was in handcuffs, leg irons, steel head restraint, and a straight jacket when he was shot.
Where on his body was he shot?
VINCYPOWA, its not a matter of supporting this man above the police. Its a matter of the police following the law, we cannot have police shooting anyone unless their lives are at risk. This kind of summery execution not only shows that the police are completely out of control, it confirms it.
Its time for the US to step in and make some comment about this regime and the missing people, the murders, the torture, the beatings, the out of control police, the shoot to kill policy, and the hunt them down until they exist no more policy.
They need to stop pussyfooting about and take a position, against this evil that we as a country are being subjected to.
I know that you VINCYPOWA support this kind of behavior we have witnessed that through your comments, like many other collaborators of the ULP, you just do not know right from wrong.
CC US State Department
Peter, again, this CRIMINAL was a MENACE to SOCIETY and was a BURDEN to TAXPAYERS. The SOCIETY is now a BETTER and SAFER PLACE because of the INCIDENT that led to POLICE OFFICERS having to use force to subdue him.
That said; no LESS than two WEEKS after SERVING 17 YEARS in JAIL, it is alleged that he was armed with a cutlass and a knife and ROBBED a SECURITY GUARD of his CELLULAR PHONE.
Moreover, even in the article above, PETERS SAID, he is a known character, trouble maker has been involved in a lot of crimes for which he has been convicted, because he himself told me he has been involved in rape and those things, during an interview.
Moreover, in the SEARCHLIGHT NEWSPAPER, this is what was said about the MENACE TO SOCIETY.
“Hamilton was back in custody, following robbery and assault charges, based on an incident on April 28, two weeks after his release from jail.
SEARCHLIGHT understands that Hamilton was misbehaving while at the Serious Offences Court. He then asked to be taken to the washroom, located on the ground floor of the building.
Shortly after 10 a.m., the prisoner was escorted to the washroom in handcuffs, and a police source told SEARCHLIGHT that after the restraints were removed for the man, said to be in his forties, to defecate, he proceeded to wrestle with the officers, in a bid to escape.
According to the source, this led to Hamilton being shot.”
SOURCE: SEARCHLIGHT NEWSPAPER of 17th of MAY 2013
In closing, any COUNTRY IS SAFER whenever you have LESS CRIMINALS in the SOCIETY.
The writer who goes by the name’vincypowa’,seem to make fun or glorify when someone has an unfortunate incident.Years of reading his comments,just echo the ignorance that pass off as intellect in this fail state.I often wonder why people waste so much time exercising such negative energy.
KING TAMPO, because he is a paid online supporter of the government and in this case the minister of security and the police in everything they do, right or wrong.
The name is a false name, and he is Marxist supporter and collaborator.