Two men are dead and another hospitalized after a Sunday morning shootout subsided in a quiet Campden Park neighborhood. Police Sergeant 209 Philbert Chambers succumbed on the scene and was later said to have suffered a gunshot wound to his head. Gleason Lewis died while violently resisting arrest.
A second officer, Police Constable 700 Verrol Sam, was also wounded in the gunfight but was rushed to the hospital.
Asbert News Network understands that Lewis was a person of interest to the Questelles Police Station for some time. Sources say he returned to SVG “about a month ago” and has been showing increasing signs of mental instability. Lewis’ Instagram account gives some hints as to his deteriorating mental state if his last post, which was published approximately 10 hours before the fatal shooting, is taken at face value. It read, “touching my things fxxk y’all an yr bullshxt #gunit need police shooting at me am in my house.”
Another caption, posted hours before the fatal incident noted, “BAT y’all did this shxt to Junior Jarvis and Ted Gibson, bad mind people ulp mind your own business. These people are watching and following me. Someone is seeking [sic] in and out the house.”
Sources also say that police attempted to apprehend Gleason Lewis on Friday, at his family’s request due to his increasingly hostile behavior, but was unable to so do. Hence at about 7:45 on Sunday morning the police, Sgt. Chambers and PC Sam included, responded when shots were reported in the area.
They also sought Lewis in relation to threats he allegedly made against his parents’ lives. We were reliably informed his parents “had to leave the house because of him.”
A statement dispatched on Sunday by the Royal SVG Police Force Public Relations Department explained that the wounded officers were included in “a party of Police Officers” who were “dispatched on duty to execute a search warrant at the home of Gleason Lewis in Campden Park.
” At approximately 8:05 pm, while the police were at the home [of] Mr. Lewis performing their duty, he opened fire killing Sgt. Chambers and wounding Police Constable 700 Verrol Sam in the process.
“The Police engaged returned fire and Mr. Lewis was fatally apprehended. Both men died at the scene. A coroner’s inquest will be conducted into this matter.”
When the last shot was fired the suspect’s body was discovered “riddled” by bullets with “over 50 something [spent bullet] casings” and a gun in close proximity to his body ,one source told ANN
Police are said to have confiscated the digital video recording that was fed by at least 2 cameras mounted outside Lewis’ home. He was evidently using these cameras to track police movements as they closed in on the house.
According to another source close to the investigation, Lewis’ body was covered with a garbage bin which he was apparently “using as armor.”
We were told Sgt. Chambers, a young community centered detective assigned to the Questelles Police Station, was struck on the side of his head by a single bullet. There were no exit wounds.
Police Commissioner Colin John told ANN, “Sgt. Chambers was a hardworking police officer and he went above and beyond the call of duty to serve the people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Permit me to extend condolences to his immediate family and the police family who are mourning the death of Sgt. Chambers.”
Commissioner John also confirmed that it was approximately two years ago since the last officer was killed while on active duty.
That year two separate incidences were reported – a police officer and his brother were murdered and their bodies discovered at Sion Hill Bay and another officer was killed while on patrol duties at a primary school Fair.
“I wouldn’t say it’s a frequent occurrence but it’s always one too many,” CoP John said.
PC Sam, the CoP reported, endured a shot to his leg and is not suffering any life threatening injuries. He is expected to make a full recovery.
For Glasley Lewis, a retired Headteacher and the deceased suspect’s father, the incident presents a double dosed burden as Sgt. Chambers, who survived a previous gunshot wound, is said to have been a student during his stint as principal of the Barrouallie Secondary School.
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