MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica — A thick cloud of anger, sorrow and trepidation settled over the tight-knit community of Granville in St James parish on Monday, as residents took to the streets to demonstrate against the fatal shooting of 47-year-old Latoya “Buju” Bulgin, who was killed by a single police bullet the day prior.
Fear of retaliation has silenced many in the neighborhood, even as outrage grows over the killing. One resident, speaking to reporters only on the condition of anonymity after being guaranteed their identity would remain hidden, shared a firsthand account of the Sunday incident that has divided public opinion across the island nation. According to the witness, who was standing near Bulgin when the shot was fired, the encounter began when an officer pulled Bulgin over and requested her driver’s license. When Bulgin produced a license issued by another country, the officer continued to question her and press for additional documentation.
The witness recounted that Bulgin exited her black Toyota Voxy minivan after the officer told her he would impound the vehicle and call a wrecker. As Bulgin moved to turn off the van’s engine, the vehicle shifted slightly — and the officer opened fire immediately. “It’s not like Buju was going to drive off or anything; the officer knew her personally,” the witness said, demonstrating how Bulgin clutched her chest and collapsed backward after being struck by the bullet. This account directly contradicts the official police narrative, which claims Bulgin threatened to run the officer over before she was shot.
A local peace broker affiliated with the community-based Peace Management Initiative (PMI), who also requested anonymity, pushed back against widespread characterizations of Bulgin as a dangerous person. “Everybody knows Buju. We know she had a rough, ghetto-style demeanor, she was out of order sometimes, but she was not a criminal,” the broker insisted. “She never deserved to die this way.”
The killing comes on the heels of a string of fatal security force shootings in Granville since the start of 2026, which have already eroded public trust in police. So far this year, five people in the community have been killed by law enforcement. On New Year’s Day, a 4-year-old child named Romaine Bowman was among three people killed during a joint operation by the Jamaica Constabulary Force and Jamaica Defence Force. Just two weeks before Bulgin’s death, on Mother’s Day, 17-year-old Tjey Edwards was shot and killed by police as they wrapped up an operation in the area. Bulgin was shot Sunday while helping transport protesters who had gathered to demand justice for Edwards’ killing.
The Independent Commission of Investigations (Indecom), Jamaica’s independent police oversight body, has issued a public call for witnesses to come forward with information about the shooting. Local leaders have echoed that appeal, though they acknowledge widespread fear of retaliation keeps many silent. Granville Division Councillor Michael Troupe, of the People’s National Party, said a meeting with Indecom and senior police leadership is planned to address safety guarantees for witnesses. “They have to assure the people that it is safe for them to give statements. Let them share what they saw — that’s the only way we can get justice for this latest incident,” Troupe said from his party office, just steps from Granville Square where the shooting took place. Some residents have already given statements to Indecom, but the PMI peace broker said far more action is needed to repair broken community trust, including expanded community policing initiatives.
On Monday, demonstrators erected burning roadblocks across key thoroughfares in Granville, including a heavily traveled route connecting multiple inland communities to Montego Bay. Firefighters were called in to extinguish the blazes, and police assisted with clearing the roadway to restore traffic flow.
Security camera footage of the encounter has amplified long-simmering national concerns about the rising toll of fatal police shootings across Jamaica. In an official press release, Indecom confirmed that Bulgin’s death marks the 15th fatal shooting of a civilian by security forces in May 2026 alone. The most recent prior fatal shooting occurred on May 16 in Hague, Trelawny, where two men were killed by police. Year-to-date, 130 civilians have been fatally shot by Jamaican security forces, compared to 129 during the same period in 2025 — a slight increase that has alarmed civil society groups.
A key detail that has drawn renewed criticism from advocacy groups is that none of the three officers assigned to crowd control duties at the protest the day Bulgin was killed were wearing or issued body-worn cameras. The absence of body cameras has been a persistent point of contention between civil society and Jamaican law enforcement for years, with activists arguing mandatory body cam use increases transparency and accountability.
