Killing of Dartmouth businessman by police triggers uproar

Orin Boston

The policeman alleged to have fatally shot Dart-mouth businessman Orin Boston yesterday morning has been placed under close arrest even as dozens of irate villagers manned protest lines and blocked the road in the area last evening.

Incensed villagers from the Essequibo Coast community vowed to continue the protests despite assurances by Police Commis-sioner (ag) Nigel Hoppie that there would be an independent probe of the death. Boston’s widow has alleged that he was shot in bed after the police broke down the door to their bedroom. It remains unclear what the police were looking for and why that level of force was employed in the operation.

Hoppie made the disclosure of the close-arrest yesterday afternoon during a virtual press conference held to update the media on the incident. He was accompanied by Deputy Commissioner of Opera-tions (ag) Clifton Hicken, Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum and Head of the Special Branch, Rabindranauth Budhram.