On Thursday, the Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM) began investigating two separate fatal shooting incidents in Hanover and St. Catherine. These recent security force shootings have now resulted in the death of 100 persons since 2024.
Of this total, ten persons have been fatally shot in August, including a triple fatal and a double fatal shooting incident. At the end of July 2024, 90 persons had been shot and killed by security forces, representing a 14% increase over 2023.
INDECOM has noted a noticeable increase in planned police operations in 2024. Up to the end of July, 34 persons were shot and killed during 29 planned police operations. In none of these planned operations were body-worn cameras issued or deployed.
In light of this increase, INDECOM welcomes the police commissioner’s recent declaration of his commitment to ensuring that his officers will be outfitted with body-worn cameras during planned police operations.
