Assistant Superintendent Walter Stanton said that he had to flee the scene at the Mackenzie-Wismar Bridge on the evening of July 18, after protestors threatened his life.
“I heard the crowd behind the unit shouting, ‘Kill the officer that is standing alone…’ they were talking about me and they start advancing and pelting bottles and bricks at me,” Stanton said yesterday, when he was called to the witness box as the inquiry into the protestor shootings continued.
From Stanton’s account it appears that the threat was made just after the police had fired tear gas at the crowd but before three men were shot and killed that night.
Recalling the events of July 18, Stanton said he was forced to run from the scene as he had no unit for back up and was indeed by himself when the crowd started to advance towards him.
“I ran away towards the police car… it was parked in Watooka Road,” he said, adding that he suffered an inch to an inch and a half-length laceration to his thumb as a result of being pelted with bottles. He noted that the vehicle was about 160 feet away from where he was initially standing. “I run and the crowd was chasing after me,” he stated.
When asked by Commis-sion of Inquiry legal counsel Ganesh Hira whether he heard anything that sounded like that of a gunshot while being chased, Stanton responded in the affirmative. “I heard sounds that, to me, sounded like gunshots,” he said. When further asked by Hira if he was aware of who may have fired the shot/s, Stanton said he was uncertain.
The witness also explained that while he was unable to say how many persons were chasing after him, he estimated about 20 to 30 protestors were initially advancing towards him.
Once in the police vehicle, Stanton said, the driver took off and he disembarked at the Washer Pond Road where he met then Division Comman-der Clifton Hicken. He pointed out that this was just a few minutes before 7pm. “I informed Hicken and I left and went to the Mackenzie Police Station,” he said.
Stanton had previously said that earlier that day, he, along with eight ranks, left the Mackenzie Police Station and his main duty was to monitor the procession.
AUDIO
COI Hearing 4/10/12
He had pointed out that he was the only officer armed, noting that concealed in his possession was a CZ 9mm pistol.
“You were the only person armed in your group and you ran away?” Commissioner KD Knight asked him.
Stanton responded in the affirmative, reminding the commissioners that the ranks he was grouped with were not in close proximity, while on the ground at that time.
During his cross-examination by attorney Nigel Hughes, who is representing the AFC and the interest of the families of the three dead men, Stanton confirmed 662-1822 as his cell phone number.
“You said you were with Mr. Hicken about ten to 7 by the time you would have [done] your little flee from Watooka and back. Were you calling him while on that trip?” Hughes asked.
Stanton said that he could not remember.
“Mr. Hicken called you at 18:47 and you had a very brief conversation with him for 24 seconds,” Hughes added as he made reference to phone records belonging to the phone registered to Hicken, which were presented to the commission earlier.
“Can you recall the contents of that telephone conversation?”
“No sir,” Stanton replied.
Hughes asked the witness if he could recall the time he fled the scene but was again told by Stanton that he could not remember.
Hughes asked him to average.
“I can’t recall… it couldn’t be before 6,” Stanton said. When asked if he had indicated to Hicken that he was under attack, Stanton said he did not.
Monitor
The witness agreed that his sole purpose on July 18 was to monitor, observe and report to Hicken what was transpiring. He stated that the crowd was behaving in a disorderly fashion but he was unable to provide answers to many of Hughes’ other questions.
“Did you see any police officer going to persons who were behaving disorderly and speak to them before the proclamation was read?” Hughes asked. Again, Stanton said he could not remember.
“Did you see the police make attempt to arrest them for behaving disorderly?”
“I can’t remember seeing that, no,” Stanton said.
Under further questioning, Stanton said he had not had his fingers dusted following July 18.
Returning to the witness box prior to Stanton was Sergeant Roderick English, who said he observed public disorder before police took action. Asked what he considered public disorder, English said that the access to the bridge was blocked, vehicles were parked and persons were prevented from going about their daily bidding.
However, when Hughes asked this witness if the cars which were parked had been blocking the bridge, he responded in the negative, adding that they were in the corner. Hughes further questioned whether the police had received any report that persons couldn’t pass the bridge and received a negative response.
Under continued cross-examination, English said he could not recall seeing any officer engaging the crowd and asking them to remove other than over the loudhailer.
Responding to questions posed by Commissioner, Justice Claudette Singh, the witness said that he did not discharge any round from the FN Rifle he was armed with on that day. “I did not fire any round on the 18th,” he noted. His weapon was never taken for ballistic tests nor were his hands swabbed, he added.
