‘Slickianna’ murder accused Rushawn Patterson shot by police in confrontation

Rushawn Patterson, the man accused of murdering social media influencer Aneka “Slickianna” Townsend in 2022, was shot by police during an alleged confrontation in Hanover on Tuesday morning.

The incident occurred around 5:40 a.m., according to the police, who have not yet provided details on what led to the shooting.

At the time of the incident, Patterson was out on bail and was awaiting his next court appearance on October 15. His case had faced multiple delays due to incomplete files, including a chain-of-custody statement and forensic evidence from the Jamaica Constabulary Force’s Communication Forensics and Cyber-Crime Unit.

Patterson was arrested on November 2, 2022, following a high-level police operation after Townsend’s body was discovered floating in the sea in Reading, St James, on October 21. A post-mortem examination later confirmed that she had been strangled. He was formally charged with her murder on November 11.