A MASSIVE disturbance Friday night in the tourist resort area of West End in Negril, Westmoreland, has left a 13-year-old schoolboy dead, three policemen injured and vehicles smashed. Several businesses, including at least two banks, were damaged by bottle bombs.The teenager has been identified as Amari Wedderburn of West End.
While the Bureau of Special Investigation (BSI) is probing the circumstances under which the youth was killed, reports are that the police constable who was involved in the shooting has since been transferred from Negril to the Savanna-la-Mar Police Station.
According to a spokesperson at the Constabulary Communication Network (CCN), the transfer is to facilitate the investigation.
Authorities at the National Commercial Bank (NCB) reported that the angry residents went on a rampage in the town, damaging a number of buildings in the Sunshine Village Plaza.
Among the affected buildings were the post office, the completely destroyed collection office for the transport centre, a hardware store, several gift shops and the branches of Scotiabank and the National Commercial Bank (NCB) which were damaged after one of several bottle bombs was thrown at the shopping centre. The police confirmed the damage done in the area.
Reports are that all hell broke loose at about 11:30 p.m. when the Negril police responded to a call that a number of persons were destroying a fruit stall in West End.
Allegations are that the police were in the process of escorting away a man whom they had apprehended. A large crowd converged on the scene attempted to take the man away from the police.
The cops reported that the boisterous crowd hurled missiles at them, injuring three of the lawmen. During the melee, a member of the crowd reportedly held onto a member of the police party and tried to disarm him.
This resulted in a struggle and two rounds were discharged from the policeman's weapon and Wedderburn who was a bystander was hit.
The teenager along with three policemen were taken to the Savanna-la-Mar Hospital where Wedderburn was pronounced dead. The policemen were treated and released.
Two police vehicles, a Pajero jeep and a Golf Wagon motor car, were also damaged in the incident. A stall in the bus park was burnt to ashes by the angry mob, who proceeded to block several roads in the town with debris. They were cleared eventually by the police.