Sleuths from the St James and Westmoreland police divisions say they are working around the clock to make a breakthrough in the shooting death of four people,
and the injuring of seven others in separate incidents across the two parishes on Tuesday.
“We are working hard to apprehend the perpetrators of the deadly St James attack … we are getting some information. We should be able to make some headway based on the discussions we are having,” Senior Superintendent Marlon Nesbeth, who is in charge of the St James Police Division, told Jamaica Observer West.
The deceased have been identified as 34-year-old unemployed Garfield Francis of Belvedere district and 32-year-old unemployed Kenton Cassel of Cave Road, both in Westmoreland; 34-year-old Dane Lyseth of Great River, Hanover, and tractor operator Devon Atkinson, also called “Wayne”, of Lilliput, St James.
The St James incident occurred about 8:10 pm when armed men alighted from a motor vehicle which drove into a temporary transportation park on Barnett Street, Montego Bay, and opened fire on Atkinson, who was sitting in his parked car, as well as Lyseth, who was standing outside the vehicle. A bystander was also reportedly shot and injured.
The three were rushed to hospital where Atkinson and Lyseth were pronounced dead. The condition of the injured individual was not ascertained.
When the Observer West visited the St James murder scene yesterday morning, no one at the facility was willing to comment.
However, a group of concerned-looking individuals nearby were overheard muttering that Atkinson was not a known wrongdoer.
“Can’t understand because Wayne is not a wrongdoer,” one woman said.
Another added: “He was supposed to accompany his 15-year-old daughter to the US where she is to spend holiday this month.”
In the meantime, the Westmoreland attack occurred about 11:00 am when Francis, Cassel, and two other men were travelling along the Lambs River main road in a black Toyota Corolla motor car.
According to the police, upon reaching a section of the roadway a grey Toyota Corolla motor car with three men on-board blocked their path. Two of the three men, brandishing handguns, alighted from the vehicle and sprayed the four occupants of the vehicle with bullets.
The gunmen then reportedly escaped in the waiting motor car, leaving all four men suffering from gunshot wounds to the upper sections of their bodies.
They were taken to the Cornwall Regional Hospital where Francis and Cassel were pronounced dead, and the two other men admitted in critical condition.
The Bethel Town police, who are investigating, believe that the Westmoreland attack was the result of a long-standing feud between two rival factions and are expecting to make a breakthrough soon.
Up to yesterday, the number of murders recorded in St James since the start of the year stood at 156. There were 140 recorded murders during the similar period last year.
And in Westmoreland, murders since the start of the year figure has jumped to 76, which is 21 more than the tally for the corresponding period last year.
