Four shot dead in the west
WESTERN BUREAU — Four people were shot dead between Monday night and yesterday morning in St James and Westmoreland, both in western Jamaica.
The police theorise that an internal feud among members of the Elete Squad gang was behind yesterday morning’s pre-dawn attack by heavily armed men who invaded a home in the gritty section of Savanna-la-mar, Westmoreland, called Russia, where they shot three people, two fatally.
The dead have been identified as 22-year-old Anthony Godfrey, also called Tan So, unemployed of 3 Hudson Street,
Savanna-la-mar; and his 19year-old girlfriend Chrissan Brooks of Truro District, Frome, both in Westmoreland.
Police say Godfrey is the brother of a man on a murder charge, but could not say if his death had anything to do with his brother.
Police reported that about 3:45 am a group of marauding gunmen invaded the house on Hudson Street, where they shot the three who were sleeping.
They were taken to hospital where Godfrey and Brooks were pronounced dead, while the third individual, a 19year-old, was admitted for treatment.
The police think that the deadly attack was carried out by a faction of a feuding gang which went after a rival gangster who was offered bail during a recent court appearance, However, the man had not take up the bail offer.
“One of the major protagonists in the Elete Squad gang was granted bail and based on information provided, the other faction was of the view that he [was out on] bail and they stormed his house and opened fire, killing his brother and one other person. It is an internal gang conflict between elements of one particular gang,” assistant commissioner of police in charge of Area One Clifford Chambers told the Jamaica Observer.
Area One covers the parishes of Trelawny, Hanover, St James and Westmoreland.
At the same time, ACP Chambers said that there was no evidence to link Monday night’s killing of a 60-year-old woman and a man, 15 minutes apart, in the volatile Flanker community in St James.
The two people in Monday night’s deadly attacks in Flanker have been identified as 33-year-old bar operator Damion Miller, also called Dirt; and Veronica Collins, a dressmaker.
About 11:00 pm Miller was driving his Toyota Corolla motor car in his community when he was attacked by gunmen when he stopped to talk to community members. Miller, who was shot multiple times, was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Shortly after that shooting, gunshots were heard coming from another section of the community.
Police who responded said
they found the 60-year-old dressmaker, who would have celebrated her 61st birthday this Saturday, suffering from gunshot wounds. She was taken to hospital where she was pronounced dead.