Business people not targets of Manchester killings, police say
MANDEVILLE, Manchester — Police here have sought to reassure members of the business community who are fearful following the murders of at least four business people in recent months.
The most recent murder is that of 39year-old businessman Recardo Williams last Friday at his Mandeville home.
Speaking at a press conference at the Golf View Hotel on Tuesday, head of the Manchester police, Superintendent Gary Francis, sought to dispel fears that business people are being targeted by criminals as he insisted that each murder case has a different motive.
“Business operators are encouraged to take precautions in treating with their business and in treating with large sums of cash or transactions. [They should] utilise various technologies to strengthen their location to secure themselves and property,” he said.
“There is no evidence to support the thought that business people are being targeted in the parish. The business people who have been killed in the parish, each case is a separate and individual case [with] some being domestic related…our investigations don’t [indicate] that business people are under any direct attack,” he added.
When asked to what extent contract killings are taking place, Francis said there is no evidence to suggest that motive.
“While we are aware that the issue of contract killing is real. We don’t have the evidence to say the extent to which the killings have been contracted. We don’t have the evidence to say that the murders that occur in our space, how many of them have been contracted,” he said.
He said Williams’ murder is being actively investigated as the police were following some leads. “I use this opportunity to appeal to anyone who can assist the investigation to share information with us, so we can have a breakthrough into this matter,” he said.
Police reported that about 8:00 pm, Williams and his wife were in a car parked outside their Clifton Heights home when he exited the vehicle to open a gate and was shot by a gunman, who escaped by jumping over a perimeter fence.
Francis disclosed that despite the high-profile murders in recent months, there is a 24 per cent reduction in major crimes recorded in Manchester since the start of this year, in comparison to the same period last year (January 1 to December 22).
“There are 108 fewer cases of major crimes reported in the parish, with five of the seven major categories recording reductions, including murder being down by 18 per cent with a 67 per cent clear-up rate. Twenty-seven wanted people have been held since the start of the year,” he said.
Shootings are down by 41 per cent; the number of reported rape cases is down by 66 per cent and robberies are down by 26 per cent, with a 45 per cent overall clear up rate of major crimes.
Francis has renewed his call for information into the November 7 murder of Constable Kirkland Plummer at an illegal party in Harwood, Clarendon.
“... We are still appealing to anyone who might have any information concerning the murder of our own colleague, Constable Kirkland Plummer… We appeal to you to share information with us,” he urged.
Francis said the Manchester police have also seized 15 illegal firearms and 144 assorted rounds of ammunition since the start of the year.
“We commit to the people of Manchester that through our rapid response with respect and reassurance, we will continue to serve deliberate and decisive,” he said.