A coroner’s jury has returned a verdict of death by misadventure in connection with the death of Jun Abbott, who died after being shot by off-duty police officers in Mt Bentick, Georgetown, on Aug. 1, 2020.
Station Sergeant of Police, Renrick Cato, who is also the prosecutor at the Serious Offences Court, acting Corporal of Police, Asrick James and Police Constable Patrick were implicated in the killing.
The coroner’s jury, sitting in Calliaqua, returned the verdict on Wednesday.
Crown Counsel Rose-Ann Richardson and Maria Jackson-Richards, as well as Corporal of Police Delando Charles, all of the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution, to which Cato is also assigned, led evidence.
Counsel Grant Connell held a watching brief for the family of the deceased.
A police statement issued on Aug. 1, 2020 said that sometime between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m. that day, a group of police officers were returning from “a function” when they saw Abbott who was “known to the police” walking along the Langley Park Public Road with what appeared to be a gun in his hand.
The Police Public Relations and Complaints Department said that Abbott opened fire when the officer ordered him to stop and drop his “weapon”.
The statement said that the officers pursued Abbott who opened fire again as he got to his house.
The police returned fire and shot Abbott in his right thigh.
“The deceased then ran to the back of his house, scaled two walls and escaped from the police. A party of police officers from the Georgetown Police Station later joined in on the search for the deceased. His body was subsequently found in some bushes approximately 400 yards from his house,” the police statement said.
No firearm believed to have belonged to Abbott was recovered from the scene.