Escaped youth shot by police in Argyle

Up to press time yesterday, nineteen-year-old Issachar Simmons was a patient at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital, after allegedly being shot by police on Wednesday evening at Argyle.{{more}}

Simmons’ father, Eldon Peters, told SEARCHLIGHT that his son was shot in his presence, and at his home, sometime after 5:30 pm Wednesday.

Peters said that his son was shot three times in the right hip and that at least one of the bullets exited the right leg and entered the left.

According to the man, his son escaped police custody last Friday and had been on the run.

He explained that his son had appeared at the Serious Offences Court on May 3, to answer charges of theft; he was subsequently placed on $4,000 bail.

Simmons was however remanded in police custody, the man said, as there were some other matters that were being investigated.

The young man was taken to the Calliaqua police station.

Peters said his son told him, while he was there, he was beaten.

The man said that his son showed him a scar across his chest, saying that the police fired a shot and the bullet grazed his chest.

The young man managed to escape police custody however, and had been on the run.

Peters said that he learned of his son’s whereabouts, and sent a message for his son to come to see him, for them to talk.

Simmons showed up at his father’s home at Argyle shortly after 4 pm, Wednesday, the man said, saying that he was hungry and that he had got very little sleep since escaping custody.

Peters said that his son said that he was scared.

“I said to him that I will take him to my lawyer… and then let him turn himself in,” Peters said, adding that his son had agreed.

A short time later, Peters said that an unmarked, private vehicle pulled up at his residence and some men exited the vehicle and started shooting.

“From de time they entered my yard, well dey see him dey – dey didn’t use any words,” the man said.

Peters said at first, the men fired some shots in the air, and that was when his son began running.

Peters said that his son ran about 15 yards or so and then surrendered, however one officer armed with an M-16 semi-automatic rifle opened fire on his son, hitting him in the right hip.

The man further contends that the men, clad in plain clothes, never identified themselves when they entered his premises, which he said borders the main road.

Following the shooting, Peters said that they refused to pick his son up off the ground and instead dragged him to the vehicle.

“Not to say they couldn’t carry him, they refused to do that,” Peters said.

The man explained that when he tried to intervene, one of the officers said to him, “You next.”

A complaint was made to the Public Relations and Complaints Department of the Royal St Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force on Thursday morning, Peters said.

He however said that he is not satisfied with the response he got.

A call to the Police Public Relations Department by SEARCHLIGHT confirmed that Peters had indeed lodged a complaint. (DD)