In our first 2 newscasts for 2017, we told you about the 6 murders which happened within 72 hours. So, the police are under pressure to get contain the spike in crime, and in their joint press conference, 2 days ago, Eastern Division Commanders Chester Williams and Edward Broaster made it clear that police would be watching the gang neighbourhoods like hawks. They said, quote, "The criminals will be holding more press conferences than the police", end quote. That means that residents in these crime hotspots will have a lot to complain about.
And though Southside Commander Chester Williams did clarify that police brutality will not be a feature of these intensified operations, there is already a complaint of police excess coming out of the Ghost Town neighbourhood.
Two youths from the Mayflower area say that the GSU was very heavy handed, shooting them with rubber bullets, which left them with hideous welts. We visited them today where they said it was unprovoked:
Jordan Burns - Upset with Police
"I just wanted to say they're just taking advantage of men for no reason and shooting them."
Daniel Ortiz, 7News
"What happened?"
Jordan Burns - Upset with Police
"We didn't do anything, 3-4 times they're shooting people for nothing. I was at my friend's house and they just busted in and started shooting."
Daniel Ortiz, 7News
"Did they ask anything, say anything?"
Jordan Burns - Upset with Police
"They didn't say anything."
Selvin Humes - Upset with Police
"I just came from eating, I went through the back yard and saw the GSU shooting at me. We ran, we jumped the fenced and went under a house where they just kept shooting at us. I ran out with my hand out and they still shot me 3 times."
Daniel Ortiz, 7News
"What did they do? Did they stay around to search or anything?"
Selvin Humes - Upset with Police
"Yes they said we threw away a gun. They haven't found any gun why you do think they can't charge us?"
Christopher Witson - Upset with Police
"They keep coming around here intimidating men for nothing when they aren't even doing anything around the place. One little thing they hear they come straight to beat us up for something we don't even know about. I'm tired of this already and I know the rest are too. They want to beat us bad and before they beat me I want them to know they can't play with me because I'll give them a reason to take me or do whatever they want with me."
A short while ago, we spoke via telephone with the acting commander of the Gang Suppression Unit, Inspector Glenn Caliz. He told us that this is the first time he has heard of the complaint, and that he would have to verify with his operations commander if the GSU conducted operations in the Mayflower area. He did say that the GSU operational strategy is to maintain sustained activity.
One of the young men says he was injured over the New Years weekend, while the second says that the GSU shot him today at around 11 a.m.
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