Police Ward Off Attack With Warning Shots

Members of the RAMSI Participating Police Force P-P-F advisers were forced to fire two warning shots on the Weathercoast on Tuesday.

Police Media office says the PPF advisers were assisting local Police officers in the arrest of Robert Tatave from Veravolia Village who is wanted in connection with a series of murders, abductions and arson attacks in 2003.

The S-I-P-F officers with assistance from the P-P-F arrested Tatave and were waiting for the arrival of a RAMSI helicopter to transport him to Honiara.

But the media office says that whilst waiting for the helicopter, a group of people surrounded the police and began to throw rocks at them.

It says the police officers were outnumbered and were being hit by the rocks and in danger of suffering serious injury.

In order to preserve the safety of the officers and of the man in their custody, each of the P-P-F advisers fired one warning shot from their service firearms.

The warning shots dispersed the group and stopped the rocks being thrown at police.

Acting Commissioner of Police, Peter Marshall, said he is disappointed members of the community acted aggressively towards the police.

Meanwhile, during the attack on police, Tatave escaped from custody.

He was still handcuffed at the time. The police media office says a warrant remains in force for Robert Tatave’s arrest.

Source: SIBC