Man shot dead by police in Canouan

Relatives of Dale Dabreo, a mentally unstable man who was shot and killed by police on Canouan on Sunday, think the situation should not have ended in death.

A police report issued on Sunday April 14 said that police on the island of Canouan responded to a report of a mentally ill man attacking residents on the island.

“The man attacked the police with a cutlass and a knife. He was shot and taken to the Canouan Health Center where he was subsequently pronounced dead,” the report from the Police Public Relations Department stated.

On Monday, Dale’s sister Venola Dabreo said she called the police on Sunday to have them assist her to get her brother to the health facility on the island so that he could have his medication administered.

Dale is schizophrenic.

She said that was not the first time that she had sought the help of the police as they have assisted in the past with getting her brother to the facility. The distraught woman said she does not know her brother to be a violent person, so she is bewildered as to why he was mortally wounded.

“Sometimes when he is off his medication, he would talk loud but I never see him get violent,” Venola told SEARCHLIGHT.

The angry woman said she is hurt that since the shooting, no one from the police force has come to the family to offer an explanation or condolences.

Venola said the family is pursuing all options to get to the bottom of her brother’s death.

Speaking on radio on Monday morning, One of Dale’s brothers claimed his brother was inside his house and police officers shot through the structure.

He added that his brother did not attack anyone, and his sister was the one who called the police after someone told her that Dale had a knife.

“Even if you call the police the police suppose to come and look for a family member in the crowd and go down and capture the man and bring the nurse. The man was inside the house sit down and he don’t come out when police man dey around,” said Dale’s brother.

He added that what is also baffling is why the police officers, after shooting Dale tied him up with rope.

The Police Public Relations Department said on Sunday that using deadly force is always a last resort but added that the law gives the police the authority to use the necessary force to protect life and property.

“The Commissioner of Police expresses condolences to the relatives and friends of the deceased. A post mortem will be conducted on the deceased to ascertain the cause of death,” the Department wrote.

This is the second police involved shooting for 2019. On Tuesday March 5, members of the Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (RSVGPF) shot and killed Alwyn “Bunnie” Browne of Ottley Hall.

Browne was shot while at a friend’s house and a police report stated that Browne opened fire on officers who were serving a warrant.