Over the weekend, two City Council employees were involved in a fight that led to one of them pulling out a firearm and shooting the other. The victim, 44 year old Calvin Cumberbatch, a transport evaluator, told police that he was on West Street just before 3 in the afternoon on Saturday when a black SUV attempted to knock him down. It stopped a few feet away and that's when he noticed the driver was his co-worker, Travis Flowers. Reports say Flowers attempted to punch him, and when he tried to defend himself, that's when Flowers pulled out his licensed firearm.
ACP Hilberto Romero told us that it was a dispute over a dog.
ACP Hilberto Romero, OCED
"Investigation reveals that Calvin Cumberbatch had a dispute with Travis Flowers, they got into a fight, thereafter Travis Flowers went into a vehicle, pulled out a firearm and fired shots at Calvin Cumberbatch, causing his injuries. Efforts were made and Travis Flowers was located and his licensed firearm was seized. He has since been arrested and charged for the crimes of attempted murder, use of deadly means of harm and dangerous harm and Calvin Cumberbatch is at the KHMH in a stable condition."
Jules Vasquez:
"Might he be able to argue that it was justified because reports say that they've been having an ongoing dispute for some months and Cumberbatch punched him in the face, it is said, and he responded."
ACP Hilberto Romero, OCED
"Yyeah it was after the fight that he went into his vehicle and retrieved the firearm, he did not pull it out there. He went for the firearm and then fired the shots so he has been charged for the 3 crimes I mentioned."
Jules Vasquez:
"Do you know the nature of the dispute they'd been having?"
ACP Hilberto Romero, OCED
"Well the incident occurred on that day I think they were quarreling over a dog and that led to the shooting."
Flowers was arraigned his morning in front of Chief Magistrate Jayani Wegodapola. He was denied bail and remanded until May 13th.
A release from the City Council states, quote, "The Council can confirm that the matter involves two long standing employees, each serving the organization for over 15 years. While the incident took place outside of working hours, we recognize the seriousness of the situation." End quote.
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