Protest at police station over youth’s shooting

Led by Mervyn Caton, father of 19-year-old Stephen Caton, who was in critical condition at the San Fernando General Hospital up to yesterday, the residents assembled in front of the station’s gates.

Officers inside the station were greeted by the noisy protesters around midday. The residents did not venture into the station’s compound, but their outburst of "Shot in the head innocently! Police suppose to protect and serve!" would have jolted the station’s police officers from their seats in the Charge Room.

Caton, of Dam Road, Point Fortin, was shot in the head at point blank range at a bar in Egypt Village Junction, around 10.50 pm Friday. A member of the Inter-Agency Task Force of the Police Service has been detained by Point Fortin police officers, and on Sunday was placed on an ID parade. Caton is warded in the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit and police yesterday described his medical condition as serious.

At about 11.15 am yesterday, approximately 100 residents gathered at Egypt Village Junction. With placards and shouting slogans, the residents began an hour-long march towards the station. One placard read: "Stop crime — protect and serve the innocent."

Stephen’s father, Mervyn, told Newsday: "My only son was shot by this policeman and I want justice. I’m not going to let this pass lightly. Action must be taken against this officer because, from my understanding, the policeman was intoxicated while in the possession of a gun."

As the residents shouted in front of the station and pushed their placards forward, Caton was called into the station. Supt Jemmot and other police officers held a meeting with him. Jemmot told Newsday, "Investigations into the shooting are ongoing, and when the investigative report is completed, it would be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions, Geoffrey Henderson, for instructions as to whether or not charges would be laid against the policeman."

A police report stated that Stephen Caton and a group of friends were liming outside the bar. The report stated that when the police officer and his colleague came out of the bar, Caton overheard the policeman tell his colleague that he would pass through Egypt Village.

However, the policeman, according to the report, pointed in the wrong direction.

The report stated that Caton told the police officer that the direction he had pointed to was not the way to Egypt Village. The policeman then held on to Caton’s hand and walked him a short distance away from his friends. The officer, the report stated, placed the gun to Caton’s head and pulled the trigger, and Caton slumped to the ground.