Was Jerome Pinnock killed execution style by the police, or was he killed during a shoot-out with the lawmen?

"This matter is being pursued, because we are doing everything to establish the truth," head of the Bureau of Special Investigation (BSI), Assistant Commissioner Granville Gause, told The Sunday Gleaner.

Pinnock's relatives, who claimed that they saw what transpired, said he was taken into a premises on Oakwood Avenue in Maverley, St. Andrew, where he was shot several times by the police.

"After dem kill him, dem tek out a gun from dem bus and say is it him did have," one of Pinnock's female relatives explained. She denied that there was any shoot-out.

But the Hunts Bay police said they were on patrol in the area on Tuesday, when they came in contact with Pinnock who engaged them in a shoot-out. According to the lawmen, an Uzi submachine gun was taken from him.

"We have already collected at least three statements from persons claiming to be witnesses," said ACP Gause.

The post-mortem is scheduled for February 8 and the BSI is awaiting the autopsy report to further their investigations.

This is just one of 1,153 controversial shootings the BSI is probing. Some of the cases are outstanding from as far back as seven years ago. Last year there were 438 outstanding cases; the previous year's figure was 341.

The figure kept climbing every year. For example, in 2004, it stood at 183; the year before that it was 82; in 2002, it was 42 and 16 in 2001. The BSI said in 2000 they had 22 outstanding cases.

But with a skeleton staff of about 14 investigators, who have been travelling islandwide probing controversial police shootings, ACP Gause said they are still pushing ahead.

"We are stretched to the limit," said Mr. Gause.

Persons who witness controversial police shootings can contact the BSI or the Police Public Complaints Authority. BSI - 922-7277, 922-3359, 967-7781. PPCA - 968-8875, 968-1932 or toll free 1-888-367-4357.

After dem kill him, dem tek out a gun from dem bus and say is it him did have - one of Pinnock's female relatives explained.