Police spokesperson claims officer was forced to shoot

Was the shooting of a Bequia woman on the morning of Saturday, March 14th, by a police officer a wanton act or was the police officer acting lawfully in the execution of his duty?{{more}}

Sonia Morgan, a mother of four, is nursing a gunshot wound to her left leg following the incident which took place at her Lower Bay home that morning.

She claims that on the morning in question, she left home to go to the beach, but returned shortly after because she changed her mind about bathing.

Morgan told SEARCHLIGHT that when she returned home, two police officers came to her home and told her they had come to search the house in relation to a crime allegedly committed by her brother Justin Morgan.

Morgan said that she asked the officers to first show her the search warrant.

She claims that one of the officers showed her a piece of paper but refused to accede to her demand that what was written on the paper be read.

“So I tell them they not coming into my house without reading the warrant,” she said.

According to Morgan, one of the officers jumped through a sliding window and headed towards her brother Justin’s room.

Another brother, Shelton, and a friend (who police have identified as Michael Pompey) she claims, pushed the officer out, demanding that a warrant be shown first.

Morgan said that the officer in question told his colleague to shoot her “or he will.”

Morgan then claims that the police officer who was pushed out of the house drew his weapon, reinserted a magazine that had fallen and fired.

“My children were home. I just felt my foot burning, and then he just was saying who next,” she claims.

However, a police spokesperson told SEARCHLIGHT that Morgan pulled a cutlass and hit the police officer in his back, while he was carrying out his duties and the officer was forced to fire the shot.

According to the police, a bag was stolen from visitors staying at the Gingerbread Hotel and Justin Morgan was fingered as the alleged perpetrator.

When police arrived at the home, armed with a search warrant, they met resistance, and it is stemming from that confrontation that Morgan was shot.

Bequia police further claim that a camera, which has been identified as being an item from the bag in question, was recovered at the home.

Justin Morgan appeared at the Serious Offences Court on Monday, March 16th, charged with burglary, while his brother Shelton Morgan was charged with assault and obstructing police in the execution of their duties.

They were granted bail in the sums of $7,000 and $600 respectively. The cases have been transferred to the Bequia Magistrate’s Court for trial on April 17.

Michael Pompey has also been arrested and charged in connection with the incident.