Jamaica: Lesbian shot in chest and arm by police
A 31-year-old lesbian is recovering after being shot in Jamaica reportedly by a police officer.
According to the Minority-Insight activist website, Keshema Tulloch, an openly gay woman otherwise known as “Royal” was shot by a police officer at around 10am on Friday 25 October in Kingston.
According to the victim’s father, Winston Tulloch, “Royal got into an altercation with a man who called her a ‘sadomite’ (anti-gay slur) and punched her in the face. She then proceeded to chase her attacker with a knife. The man ran to a police officer at the Texaco Gas station. While running towards the police officer and her attacker, the police officer shot her in her arm and she fell to the ground. The police then opened fire and shot her a second time in her chest.”
Mr Tulloch claims “the man who physically attacked her was pressured by the police officer to pursue criminal charges (Attempted Assault) against her.”
She has been treated at Kingston Public Hospital and has formally been charged with attempted assault.
It is claimed Royal previously faced harassment from police officers because of her sexual orientation.
Violent homophobia and transphobia remains a key problem in Jamaican society.
Four months on, police have still to charge anyone in connection with the murder of transgender teenager Dwayne Jones.
