Blunt trauma to head caused death of man in Police lock-ups; Six Policemen under close arrest

A post-mortem examination conducted this morning on the body of 32-year-old Gavin Kennard Douglas, who died on Saturday while in custody at the Vreed-en-hoop lock-ups has listed the cause of death as Cerebral hemorrhage caused by blunt trauma to the head. The autopsy also found evidence of blunt trauma to the man’s abdomen.

Douglas died less than an hour after being taken into Police custody at the Vreed-en-hoop Police Station on Saturday on suspicion of being involved in a robbery three days prior. The Police have not released any details of the alleged robbery, but six Police Officers have now been placed under close arrest as the investigation into the man’s death is ongoing.

Attorney Dexter Todd, who is representing the interest of the dead man’s family said multiple injuries were seen on the man’s body during the post-mortem examination.

“The injuries seen on this young man were overwhelming. You have trauma to the head being a primary cause of death, but there were so many other injuries that could also lead to a serious state and leading to death. For example, you have the abdomen and from the examination from the doctor, whatever they hit him with, the print was there. You have all the taser marks on his body”, the Attorney said.

The Attorney said the pins from the tasers were found in the man’s body, indicating the force that was used as he was shot repeatedly by the taser gun.

Family members of Gavin Douglas are now convinced that he was murdered at the hands of the Police and they want charges to be laid against those responsible for the man’s death.

The dead man’s mother, Colette Jones, is a Special Constable attached to the same Vreed-en-Hoop Police Station where he died. She said she last spoke to her son on Saturday when he contacted her and told her that he was stopped by the Police who instructed him to drive to the Police station.

She said she thought it was a traffic offence that he might have committed, so she told him he should drive to the station. Moments later after her daughter visited the station, the family realised that the situation was much more serious.

In its initial report, the Police claimed that following his arrest, Douglas became aggressive and resisted the Police ranks as he was being taken to the lock ups.

But less than 45 minutes after the 32-year-old was placed in the lock-ups, the Police said he was discovered frothing at the mouth.

However, another man who was being held at the same lock-ups at the time said when the man was brought to the station, he was placed in the lockups with his hands tied as he objected to his clothes being removed.

The man also claimed that he saw at least four officers arming themselves with tasers and moving to the cell where the man was being held. Moments later after a commotion was heard, Douglas was seen being lifted out of the cell in a motionless state. He was pronounced dead at the West Demerara Hospital.

The Guyana Police Force’s Office of Professional Responsibility has launched a probe of the death. In a statement on Sunday night, Minister of Home Affairs, Oneidge Walrond, assured that the investigation will be detailed and thorough. She said anyone in the custody of the Police would be in the custody of the state and it is the state’s responsibility to ensure that person is properly taken care of.

The matter remains under investigation by the Police Force’s Office of Professional Responsibility.

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