GM Family BLOW BY BLOW - Alleged eyewitness’ account of Hopewell Square incident Font size: Decrease font Enlarge font Andre Williams 26/03/2014 12:11:00 Even as two entities launch separate investigations into Monday morning’s incident in Hopewell Square in Hanover, during which a taxi operator and a policeman were injured, a debate is raging as to the policeman’s alleged role in what transpired. On Monday evening, the communications arm of the force, the CCCU, advised that two separate investigations were underway into the incident during which the policeman shot and injured a motorist, and the policeman was left nursing wounds from blows he received to the face. The CCCU said the Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM) is probing the shooting incident and police detectives from Area One, the attack on the policeman. The incident, which was captured in part on video, saw the policeman and the motorist fighting on the ground before explosions were heard. The incident reportedly took place after the policeman stopped the motorist for a traffic violation. One alleged eyewitness, who requested anonymity, told the Western Mirror that the taxi operator, whom the alleged eyewitness identified as ‘Tata from Sandy Bay son’, violated road traffic rule and was accosted by the policeman, who was on duty in Hopewell Square. PROVOCATION The alleged eyewitness opined that it was the policeman who provoked the altercation “All of this could have been avoided, I saw when the taxi driver stopped and said something to a plainclothes police, when a uniformed policeman walked over to the car and an argument ensued.” The alleged eyewitness went on “The driver drove off and the policeman ran off and used his baton to hit him on his hand whilst the vehicle was driving. The taxi man stopped the vehicle and before he could alight from it the policeman attempted to pull him from it.” The police officer is alleged to have “verbally and physically assaulted the victim who retaliated. A fight ensued, during which the taxi operator had somehow injured the officer, whose colleague was trying to break up the fight.” The alleged eyewitness disclosed further that “The effort of the plain clothes officer to part the fight proved futile and the victim’s father, who was present at the scene, joined the attempt to separate the two fighting men, who were now locked together on the ground. This effort also proved futile as the police officer had blood hampering his sight from one eye and his legs were pinned by his opponent.” It was further said that at this stage the officer fired a warning shot in the air, but was still in a gridlock with the taxi operator. The officer then fired three more shots. Two of which ended up in the victim’s body; one in the lower part of one of his legs, another in his groin area and the third saw his colleague sustaining a minor injury to his hand. The taxi operator was taken to hospital. Crime Scene Investigators and members of INDECOM were quick on the scene. The incident caused a heavy build up of traffic in Hopewell Square and backed up for miles, causing serious frustrations to the travelling public. Sections of the area were cordoned off and traffic was rerouted through Crabwood Lane.
Posted on: Thu, 27 Mar 2014 11:15:41 +0000
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