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Different stories in George Frazer?s death ? shot by policeman New Year?s Day

GeneralDifferent stories in George Frazer?s death ? shot by policeman New Year?s Day

A post-mortem conducted yesterday certified that he died from hypovolemic shock due to a ruptured aorta and inferior vena due to cava [repaired], as a result of a gunshot wound injury to the abdomen.


It was an all day celebration on New Year?s Day for friends, relatives and neighbors in the area, as a group of males and females played a card game called ?pokeno? at a neighbor?s home. But the celebration was interrupted by one of the gamblers, who, neighbors said, was winning but got into an argument with another gambler.


Some neighbors said the gambler made threats to the other man and then left the area. That gambler later returned with what police say was an Uzi machine gun. This was when many neighbors, including children and adults, had to run for their lives.


According to a police report, ?PC #1060 Donald Gillett reported that he was on Neal Pen Road at around 5:00 p.m., when he heard an argument between a group of men. PC Gillett said that one of the men then left and threatened to return. PC Gillett further reported that about 10 minutes later, the man returned and Gillett observed that the man pulled out what appeared to be an Uzi machine gun from his waist. PC Gillett immediately interceded and after identifying himself as a police officer, ordered the man to drop the weapon. Instead of dropping the gun, the man turned towards PC Gillett and pointed the weapon at him, whereas Gillett fired several shots from his licensed .38 revolver, one of which hit the gunman in the right side of his abdomen. PC Gillett then secured the weapon and called for backup, whereas the gunman was transported to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital??


Commissioner of Police Gerald Westby said the use of force was justifiable, and has commended PC Gillett for ?bravery in the line of duty,? said a police report.


But grieving relatives of Frazer are alleging that young Frazer, who was released from jail in August after reportedly taking the rap for someone else on a gun charge, was murdered in cold blood, because the officer did not have to shoot him so many times.


Amandala visited the area of the incident and spoke with a number of eyewitnesses, who wish to remain anonymous. The initial misunderstanding had led to Frazer?s threatening the man, then he left, but no one took his threats seriously, said his friends.


Minutes later, the deceased returned, flashing the Uzi machine gun tucked in his waist, said his friends, but they claim he was only showing off. They knew he had not meant any harm, because the weapon was not even loaded, they claim.


Eyewitnesses said that Frazer did not point the gun at the officer, nor did he shoot at the officer with the Uzi. It was empty.


Police dispute this, however, saying that Frazer fired at least two shots.


One eyewitness said that after Frazer was shot by the policeman, his body was removed from the drain by the officer and taken into a yard where a meat shop was. Frazer was left to die, because they were threatened that if anyone tried to move him, they would be shot too, said the eyewitness.


There are also differing reports as to whether the policeman was in uniform or not. Some witnesses say yes; some say no.


Many of Frazer?s friends say that they are not upset because the officer shot him, because the young man did have a gun, but because the officer showed no discretion in the line of duty. He could just have taken away the weapon, they said.


One of the police officer?s next door neighbors said she commends the officer for preventing a crime from occurring, because she believes that if Frazer was able to fire that gun he could have taken more than one life. She is happy that the officer intervened because one of the many gamblers in the area was her common-law-husband, and her children could have been fatherless today, said the neighbor.


Family members of George Frazer say that they are unable to lay him to rest, because they have no money to do so.


Frazer, who had been released from the Hattieville Prison in August of 2005, had spent 18 months for an unlicensed firearm and ammunition conviction.


He had been sentenced to three years, but had spent only half the time. He had turned over a new leaf, said relatives, becoming involved with the Heights of Vibes group, a local musical band, with whom he had spent time since his release from prison writing music. He had planned to become a rapper.


PC Donald Gillett has been with the police department for 11 years. He was reinstated as a police officer in 2002 after he had resigned at the rank of corporal.


The weapon used in the shooting was his personal licensed .38 revolver.

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