An 18-year-old Ottley Hall man died in hospital on Tuesday after police shot him in his West Kingstown community.
The Police Public Relations and Complaints Department said the shooting occurred as police officers executed a search warrant on Alwyn “Bunny” Browne.
“When the police approached the subject, he shot at the police. The police returned fire injuring him. He was taken to the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital where he subsequently died,” the statement said.
The terse statement added:
“While shooting a suspect is the last resort, the law gives police officers the authority to use the necessary force to apprehend a suspect. The police lives were in danger and they have therefore use the necessary force at the time to de-escalate the situation. We express condolences to the family of the deceased.”
In May 2016, Browne made national headlines after being shot in Upper New Montrose (“Monkey Hill”) and was injured by the holder of a licensed firearm who was defending himself during an attempted robbery.
He had told the media that he was walking along a shortcut to his house when the shooting took place.
He said three masked men had opened fire on him, shooting him in the chin and arm around 10 p.m. on May 5, 2016. But iWitness News was reliably informed that the holder of a licensed firearm, who was defending himself against armed robbers, shot the teenager.
It was not clear if Browne was believed to have been among the would-be robbers or if he was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
A source had told iWitness News that a resident of the Upper New Montrose area who has a licensed firearm opened fire when some men approached him with guns.
The resident then flattened himself on the ground as the men returned fire.
The resident crawled full circle, came behind the men and again returned fire, hitting Browne twice.
This may have explained why residents of the area claimed to have heard a “shoot out” in the community on the night of the incident.
Is this yet another “extra-judicial” killing by the police, of which we have had several in recent years?
Was this 18-year-old murdered for the “crime” of being a young black man?
OK good one less scoundrel to deal with. The chicken has come home to roost. There are others who deserve the same faith.
You must be some kind of special idiot
Well you live by the gun, you shall die by the gun.
This has nothing to do with being black. If I’m not mistaken the population in SVG is mostly black. These young ppl need to stay in school and try to get a proper education like the law abiding residents.
Why do people want crimminals to be treated as though they are Sunday School children? Just look at the foolish comment by this C Ben David who has a passion for long articles filled so often with “green verbs”” a total disgrace to the university he claims to graduate from. But that is not a surprise, there are many paper mills available.
C-Ben David since when the issue is one that is a black or white thing? The man or youth is an alleged gunslinger. You live by the sword then you are die by the sword, straight and simple.