In 2021, PC Wayne Dawson was shot by fellow police after his vehicle was hit by another car. He said he felt that the corporal working the case was in on a scam along with the driver of the next vehicle to "come up" off of him. Dawson, realizing this, left the scene heading towards Belize City, but in Orange Walk he was stopped by a police mobile. Before he could declare his weapon, the cops began shooting at him.
5 years later, Dawson has received justice through the High court which warded him $40,000 in damages. We spoke with his attorney via phone about the judgment.
Voice of: David McKoy, Attorney
"So it is significant for the claimant because he got shot by police officers and he himself is a police officer. So it's some sort of retribution for him. And so, you know, the effects of what happened to him on that particular day cannot be changed."
"However, he's compensated by money to, as far as possible, to put him back in a position he would have been in had the shooting not happened. Me being a former police officer and many other police officers would share the same sentiment that I have, that if a vehicle is fleeing a scene, it is not justified to shoot after a vehicle unless that vehicle is posing a threat to you, meaning shooting after you or shooting at a member of the public."
"So those are circumstances which would warrant shooting after a vehicle. This person, the claimant in this particular case, was fleeing, fleeing, meaning he was whatever perspective or whatever I should say was their mind. What was going through their mind at the time when they were fleeing, I mean, pursuing this claimant. They did not have to draw for the weapon to shoot the tires of the claimant because it was not justified."
"Somebody leaving from you, they pose no threat. So that's where they went wrong. That's the first angle. Then they continued double down on that wrong by shooting him a second time. So his tires were shot at and then subsequently he was shot."
"And they weren't, the police officers who fired the shot, they were not in a marked police vehicle. It was in a heavily tinted vehicle and the claimant did not know who was pursuing him. We have to strike a balance here because police officers are mandated by law to use force where necessary, even to cause death."
"So it is never that the court would say that the police officers cannot justify shooting someone. It can be justified, but it all depends on the circumstances. But in this case, the circumstances did not warrant the shooting of that person."
