‘Don’t hate Granville’

MONTEGO BAY, St James — Encouraged by the swift march towards justice as the policeman who fatally shot Latoya “Buju” Bulgin appeared in court to answer a charge of murder, residents of Granville on Wednesday prepared to add a celebratory air to a gospel concert planned for later that night. At the same time, one well-known member of the community appealed to lawmen not to let the current tensions sour their relations with the entire area.

The Jamaica Observer visited Granville Wednesday morning, shortly after news broke that Constable Andrew Wilson, who is assigned to Irwin Police Station, was before the court in connection with the May 17, 2026 incident in which 45-year-old Bulgin was killed.

“We will be having a church service in Granville today, and we’ll use that to celebrate our friend’s victory. We are having tears of joy and we are hoping to hear more in regards to this,” an organiser of the event, who asked that her name be withheld, told the Observer.

“We are pleased, the people of Granville are pleased,” she said of the court case.

Another resident, who also requested anonymity, shouted, “Justice fi Buju!” the now-familiar rallying cry used in several protests since Bulgin’s death.

“We will be having more protests every Saturday until funeral,” she vowed.

Their neighbour, Tyrone Gordon, expressed pleasure at the seeming speed with which the case is making its way through the justice system.

“We are glad to see that our Member of Parliament [Marlene Malahoo Forte] is on top of it, and that’s why we have things moving so swiftly in such short order,” he told the Observer.

“This is kind of a mixed feeling for me, because I know that not everybody in the police force is unprofessional like that police [involved in shooting]. I know they have good police officers. I just want to appeal to the good police officers to not hate Granville, just come in and treat us well,” Gordon added.

The community stalwart commiserated with Bulgin’s grieving relatives.

“I’m just sorry for Buju’s sons and family,” he said solemnly.

According to a release from the Independent Commission of Investigations (Indecom), Wilson’s first court appearance ended with him being denied bail. He has been cautioned not to interfere with witnesses in the case and is scheduled to return to court on June 16.

The decision to charge Wilson and swiftly take him before the court has also been welcomed by the Granville Peace, Justice & Resource Development Foundation, which described the move as “an important step in the pursuit of justice, accountability, and the preservation of public confidence in the rule of law”.

“We also acknowledge the valiant and determined efforts of the people of Granville, who remained peaceful, disciplined, and steadfast in their demand for justice. Their courage and persistence, coupled with the overwhelming support received from Jamaicans at home and abroad, helped ensure that this matter remained in the national consciousness and that justice was allowed to take its course,” the release said.

The foundation has been very vocal in the wake of Bulgin’s death and has seized it as a launching pad to call for justice in other recent shootings within Granville. Bulgin’s death was the fifth between the start of this year and May 17.

“We urge Indecom and all relevant authorities to move with urgency in concluding the investigations into the other four members of the Granville community who were shot and killed by the police this year, including the tragic New Year’s Day incident in which four-year-old Romaine Bowman, Kevaun Martinez, and Desmond Dunkley lost their lives, as well as the fatal shooting of Tajay (Teejay) Edwards,” the statement read.

Bulgin was fatally shot after a traffic stop as she transported community members to a protest over Edwards’ death.

BULGIN… fatally shot by a police constable on May 16.