In the quiet community of Granville, St James, Jamaica, a fatal shooting involving an on-duty Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) officer has ignited public anger and triggered swift administrative action over the weekend. The victim, 44-year-old Latoya Bulgin, a local resident widely known by her nickname “Buju”, was killed during what law enforcement initially described as a confrontation with security personnel.
Late Sunday, the JCF High Command issued an official statement confirming that the officer involved has been immediately interdicted from duty pending a full probe. The command emphasized that it holds deep concern over the suspicious circumstances surrounding Bulgin’s death, and moved quickly to notify two independent oversight bodies – the Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM) and the Inspectorate Professional Standards Oversight Bureau (IPROB) – to lead the independent investigation. Both agencies have already launched their comprehensive inquiries after the High Command ordered the suspension following a preliminary review of available evidence, including closed-circuit television footage from the area.
Surveillance video obtained from local cameras has provided critical visual context for the incident, contradicting initial claims of a violent confrontation. The footage reveals that Bulgin was driving a black Toyota Voxy en route to a community protest in downtown Montego Bay when the incident unfolded. The protest had been organized to mark the death of 17-year-old Tjey Edwards, who lost his life the previous Sunday in another incident that locals allege also involved a member of the security forces.
According to the recorded timeline from the CCTV footage, Bulgin’s vehicle came to a stop in Granville Square, where other passengers began exiting the car shortly after officers approached to interact with the vehicle’s occupants. Within seconds, as the Voxy pulled back onto the main roadway, the JCF officer drew what appeared to be a service firearm and fired a shot. After the shooting, officers removed the wounded Bulgin from the vehicle and transported her to a local hospital in a JCF service vehicle, though she could not be saved.
In the wake of the shooting, furious local residents have publicly accused the JCF of extrajudicial murder, calling for full accountability for the officer involved. Local lawmaker Marlene Malahoo Forte, the Member of Parliament for St James West Central, arrived at the scene within hours to address the gathered crowd. Speaking to angry, grieving residents, Malahoo Forte acknowledged that the shooting was unjust and validated the community’s right to be angry and seek answers.
She highlighted that the availability of clear CCTV footage would support a fast, transparent investigation, and appealed to residents to avoid any retaliatory actions that could bring harm or negative consequences to their community. “I know the community is angry, grieving and searching for answers. The good thing is that the investigation is being assisted by camera footage and the investigation has proceeded swiftly,” Malahoo Forte told the crowd. She urged residents to remain lawful, warning that unrest would only undermine efforts to get to the truth, and pledged to work closely with investigators to ensure full transparency and that the full facts of the case are brought to light.
