We nah stop till we get justice! This oft-repeated sentiment was uttered yesterday by a resident of the inner-city community of Grants Pen, St. Andrew, who was among a group of protesters, who classified the fatal shooting of Andre Thomas as murder by the police.

The killing, which took place last week Friday, is yet another police shooting, which has been mired in controversy.

Residents, who staged a peaceful demonstration along the Grants Pen road, said that a group of men was sitting on a shop piazza on the gullyside, when a group of policemen approached them and started to question them.

Abuse

'Ainey', a resident who was present, but declined to give his real name, said the police ordered some of them home, but when one, André Thomas, refused to leave, they started to abuse him.

"Them start say go a you yard, go a you yard and him say 'Officer, me can't go a me yard, a this morning them shoot after me father.' By the time the man say so, dem shoot de man, dem gi him one ya so and below ya so," he said referring to below the torso.

His disheartened father, Philbert Thomas, who said he helped to place his son into the police Jeep that transported him to the hospital, yesterday was a forlorn figure at the protest.

Different version

The police, however, have a different version of the story.

According to their reports, about 1:15 p.m Friday members of a police party were patrolling the Grants Pen area, when they saw a group of men acting suspiciously.

On the approach of the lawmen one of the men pointed a firearm at them; the police took evasive action and opened fire hitting one of them. A Raven .25 automatic pistol with the serial number erased and a magazine containing five .25 cartridges were reportedly found in his hand. The other men at the scene ran and made good their escape.