Woman claims she was struck in face by RRU officer

A 23-year-old mother of four claims that a police officer attached to the Rapid Response Unit (RRU) struck her in her face with his fist and pointed his sidearm at her during an incident at South Rivers over the weekend.

Shanika Neverson alleges that she was struck by the officer during an incident on Saturday, June 18, in which a mob of angry villagers attacked members of the RRU with bottles and stones, causing them to flee.{{more}}

According to Neverson, who is from Cane Hole, South Rivers, on Saturday, she attended a Carnival function at the South Rivers Government School with her two-year-old daughter.

“My cousin took my daughter and went for a walk and soon after I saw the crowd running, so I thought it was fighting, so I run and start look for my daughter,” explained Neverson, who recalled that during her search for the child, she saw police in an argument with some people.

“There was a lot of pushing and shoving and I tried to pass between the police jeep and a fence and I get push and had to hold on to the jeep to balance myself….The jeep was close to the wire and he (the officer she said struck her) was in the jeep sit down and he box me and say move me (expletive) from the jeep,” said Neverson.

She said that she enquired of the officer why he had struck her and at that point, “he pull out he gun.”

Neverson said that she was struck on the left side of her face so hard that when she inhaled she began spitting blood.

“I feel bad…I hear he bragging,” Neverson told SEARCHLIGHT.

She said that she was told that after the officer struck her, he turned to a man who was being arrested and asked him, “you see what I do you sister?”

The man who was being arrested was Duran Gerard, who has been charged with firearm and ammunition possession. Neverson is not related to Gerard.

“I said nothing to him, I was just trying to balance myself. I told the driver of the jeep what happened and he did not say anything. Then the officer on the back of the jeep tell he come back hard (reverse the pick-up) and who dead, dead and I understand a girl was knocked down after that,” Neverson said.

Gerard was hospitalized and claims that he was severely beaten by the police during his arrest.

On Wednesday, Inspector in charge of the Police Public Relations Department Hawkins Nanton said that the incident is being investigated.(LC)