W’land man killed at police checkpoint
Cops claim self-defence; friends insist Ellis posed no threat
Published:Thursday | November 27, 2025 | 12:08 AMMickalia Kington/Gleaner Writer
A birthday viist to a friend ended in terror for 30-year-old Bijorn ‘Cody’ Ellis of Bath district, Burnt Savannah, who was fatally shot by police along the Llandilo main road late Sunday.
A close friend who was in the vehicle with him has rejected the police account as “a lie” and is demanding justice.
She said the night began peacefully as their group visited a friend for her birthday. After leaving the gathering in two cars around 10 p.m., Ellis hit a pothole on Seaton Street, blowing out a rear tyre.
“We stop and we check on the tyre. Him say it a lose air [and] we have no spare, so we say it can carry we down,” she said.
According to the woman, they switched on their hazard lights and continued driving slowly. They soon saw police blue lights and cones ahead.
“Police stretch out their hand and stop the car. By the time we pull off the road and put the vehicle in park, the officer point his gun straight into the vehicle and we duck. Him fire three shots,” she claimed.
According to her, one bullet tore through the windshield, grazing her arm, and another hit Ellis.
“One of the shots come through the windscreen ... . Cody jump up and seh, ‘Mi get shot in a mi eye.’ And him cover his eye. When I look up, I see blood,” she said.
Ellis reportedly stumbled out, begging for help.
“He said, ‘Please take me to the hospital. Please, mi get shot in my eye!’” she said. “He walk go to the police vehicle and jump up in the back ... and beg them to carry him to the hospital.”
She said the officers drove off with him after about a minute, and that the next car with his friends followed behind.
Minutes later, she received a call that Ellis was dead.
Hospital staff reportedly told them he had been shot in the chest or neck.
The police report, however, states that around 10:20 p.m., a man “attempted to mow down a police officer” at a vehicle checkpoint, prompting officers to open fire in self-defence.
Ellis was pronounced dead at Savanna-la-Mar Hospital at 11:03 p.m.
Senior Superintendent Othneil Dobson, head of the Westmoreland Police Division, said officers have been facing increasingly dangerous encounters with motorists.
“We have seen in recent times several motorists slowing down, then driving at high speed to frighten the police out of the road. It’s a very dangerous practice. We will not tolerate persons hitting down police,” he said, adding that music glorifying attacks on officers encourages reckless behaviour.
“The vehicle tends to be used as a weapon. They slow down, and then they drive at the police at high speed,” said Dobson.
But Ellis’ friend insists none of that happened.
“The vehicle stopped. They were like 10 feet away,” she said.
She said no officer spoke to her or checked if she had been hurt after the shots were fired.
“They tell me to take my stuff out the car and move,” she said.
When another friend tried to record the scene, an officer allegedly pushed them back, saying, “No videoing.”
She described Ellis as neither violent nor problematic.
The Independent Commission of Investigations has since taken her statement.
“They just take the statement and say they will get back to me,” she said. “I want him to get justice because he didn’t do anything wrong.”
The Savanna-la-Mar CIB is investigating.