Gordon Wood man fatally shot by cops was ‘no saint’ – police

Shivnarine Saunders, a labourer popularly known as 'Hammer Mouth', was killed at his Gordon Wood home around 5:30 am during an operation by police officers.

According to preliminary reports, a team of officers went to the premises occupied by Saunders and others when several gunshots were heard. Police allege that Saunders produced what appeared to be a firearm and pointed it toward the officers, who fired in self-defence. The weaponed has been seized. 

The incident triggered a fiery protest at the intersection of Gordon Wood Lane and Old Harbour Road, with residents blocking the roadway and claiming the deceased was murdered in cold blood.

At the scene of the protest, Tamika McLoud, a cousin of the deceased, wailed as she demanded answers.

"You can't just come and kill people pickney just so," she bellowed. McLoud claimed Saunders was intoxicated and unarmed at the time of his death, further alleging that an officer mentioned mistaken identity.

According to McLoud, police had visited the premises less than 12 hours before returning Tuesday morning.

"This need justice! This want justice a Gordon Wood bottom! A more than one time! This need justice!" she cried. "Him a no wanted man."

However, speaking to Old Harbour News on condition of anonymity the senior cop confirmed that an internal investigation has commenced by state authorities to determine the facts of "this unfortunate incident."

"We have been receiving some credible information about the deceased who I dare say was no saint," the officer stated bluntly.

The police outlined that intelligence suggests Saunders was involved in lottery scamming and using the proceeds to procure illegal weapons. 

"We have been also informed on more than one occasion that he has used an illegal weapon to threaten other residents in the community but these persons refuse to lodge a formal complaint to the police out of fear.

"Many persons feared that he was heading down the same path of his brother."

That brother is Cashan Saunders, 28, also of Gordon Wood, who was killed in a police operation in the community in July last year. An illegal firearm was recovered during that incident. Cashan Saunders, according to police, was a known recidivist who was wanted for murder and had previously served time for shop breaking.

The senior cop said the constabulary is fully cooperating with investigators from the Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM) and the police's Inspectorate and Professional Standards Oversight Bureau (IPROB), both of which have launched their own probes into the fatal shooting. 

In a subsequent development, about midday today, residents once again took to the streets to protest Saunders’ killing by blocking the main road. Emergency crew from the Old Harbour Fire Station and the police reacted quickly to the situation and cleared the roadblock which had caused a pile up of traffic either end of the scene.