Jones Town protests fatal police shooting

Smoke from burning tyres drifted across Slipe Pen Road on Monday as residents of Jones Town blocked traffic, demanding answers a day after police fatally shot 55-year-old Lucien Anderson.

Anderson, a former Charlie Smith High School and Arnett Gardens Football Club standout, was killed during a police operation on Groine Street on Sunday morning. His death has sparked anger in the community, as residents insist he was unarmed and wrongly targeted.

By mid-morning yesterday, protesters had moved from their lane to Slipe Pen Road in an effort to amplify their message, saying that remaining inside the community would not attract attention.

"If we stay in a the lane, nobody nah go hear we," one woman said as flames from burning debris flickered behind her.

Kimberly Wright, Anderson's niece, accused the police of misleading the public about what transpired.

"The 'police confrontation' thing played out. The whole Jamaica can see through the lies. When dem file dem alleged report, weh it go from deh so?" she said.

While Anderson's death is unrelated to the recent killing of a three-year-old in neighbouring Denham Town, residents repeatedly referenced that case as an example of what they see as uneven policing.

"Is like a joke to Denham Town how dem cya catch the three-year-old baby. All now dem nuh kill the man weh kill the baby, but them come here in a broad daylight and kill a innocent man," Wright told THE STAR. "We a protest fi Lucien and the three-year-old cause we nuh see nobody else a protest fi the three-year-old over Denham Town."

Residents said their frustration extends beyond Sunday's fatal shooting to what they describe as long-standing distrust of law enforcement operations in the area.

"What warrant? We asked them for a warrant and the police officer said that's not of his knowledge," she said.

She also raised concerns about the scale of the police presence during the incident.

"Which 'crime scene' you go on and see over 30-plus police officers? Nothing is adding up at all."

Nicola Walters, another resident who has been vocal since Sunday, questioned why surveillance cameras installed by community members were removed.

"Which wanted man ago live pan a front page like this?" she questioned.

"Dem take down all a the cameras. We set up cameras, there is so many loopholes. If is a rich man pickney dem did go kill, all today you hear say the killer get lock up. A so this country run," she said.

Walters argued that the cameras were installed for safety.

"We put up the camera dem fi we own safety, not just from the police dem, but from the criminals dem too," she said, adding that the devices were not connected to Wi-Fi and therefore did not store footage remotely.

Residents also alleged that officers did not activate their body-worn cameras during Sunday's fatal encounter. However, during Monday's protest, officers were observed turning on their body-worn cameras as tensions escalated, a detail not lost on demonstrators.

"When uno did a kill Lucien, uno never turn it on," one resident shouted.

Police maintained a strong presence as protesters blocked sections of Slipe Road. Law enforcement personnel later managed to contain the scene and ease traffic disruptions.