So, the robbers were shot while in the commission of a robbery - but they were also shot while trying to flee the scene - which suggests they were no longer an active threat to the storekeeper. So, is it a justifiable shooting?
Today in Dangriga the commissioner of police noted that while the shopkeeper was defending himself and his property, it will be the DPP who will decide if charges are to be levied.
He adds, however, there are allowances in the law to use lethal force if it's for the sake of protection.
Chester Williams - Commissioner of Police
"Our investigation so far revealed that three armed masked men entered the business establishment with gun, and they robbed the cashier of just over $200 in cash. While they were doing so, an off-duty police officer showed up at the store in a vehicle and they saw the off-duty police and so the three robbers ran to the back of the store where the kitchen is located and when they got there, they encountered the person who they eventually injured. They beat him up with guns and they robbed him of his wallet containing just over $2,000. After having done so, they were inside the place and were about to exit and the injured person went for his licensed shotgun and while they were still in the area of the store, he fired shots at them as they were fleeing and still pointing at him with their guns. He was able to fatally wound one and that person has been identified as a guy Samuels. And another person was injured to the foot. The person who was injured to the foot was transported to the hospital, so was the Asian person, and both are admitted in a stable condition. Police searched the area where the jumped the fence and found three firearms. Of the three firearms, two are imitated and the other is a.38 special revolver. So, police have those three weapons in custody, and we are still in search of the third person. The off-duty police officer pursued that third person was he wasn't able to catch up with the third person so he managed to escape. You would know the law does make provision for one to protect him or herself as well as to protect others as well as to provide protection for your property that is governed by section 39 of the criminal code. So, in a situation like this, we would have to do our investigation, send the file to the DPP and the DPP will be the one to determine if charges will be levied against that individual."
We note that while the ComPol said there were three robbers, the official police report says 4.
The official police report sent to the media also differs from the commissioner's account; it says that the shooter - who is an employee of Jacky's was knocked to the head - lost consciousness and when he regained consciousness - he took his pump 12
