Early morning arson attack leaves residents in fear
AKingston mother is now cowering in fear after her house was set ablaze and her son shot and injured during a brazen attack along a section of Beeston Street yesterday morning.
A broken doll, charred wardrobe filled with burnt children’s clothing, and notebooks were visible remains of the arson attack, which happened about 3:45 a.m.
At least 30 persons have been affected by the attack, with some now homeless. Victims of the fire said that they have lost millions in damages.
Jane*, who works in the financial sector, told THE STAR that she is completely fed up with the violence in her community.
“I was sleeping when I heard my mother shouting. I was like ‘why is my mother making noise?’. I heard her saying ‘Fire’ and when I jumped up, I realised that there was a fire, so I just grabbed what I could grab. People cannot continue to live like this, in fear of not knowing what will happen next,” she said.
The distraught mother said that the setback will have a huge impact on her, and that among the list of her worries is having to explain to her unaware toddler that she will be without a home for a while.
“My six-year-old daughter said to me ‘Mommy, if di juice dem burn up in the fridge what am I going to drink?’. That was when reality hit me that I had lost everything,” she said.
Jane recalled how frightened she was when her son ran into her room covered in blood.
“My son came inside and said ‘Mommy, mi get shot, enuh.’ I then try to find my keys while I packed some passports and other important papers in pan,” she said. The residents say that after setting the place on fire, the gunmen then opened gunfire at those who tried to escape.
More than three adjoining houses were caught in the fire that destroyed several items of household furniture and electronic devices.
The incident is the latest episode in a string of violent outbursts in central Kingston as an ongoing gang war between Genasyde and Darkside gangs continues to plague residents.
Attempts to contact Senior Superintendent of Police Maldria Jones-Williams, the commanding officer for the division, were unsuccessful.
However, the police’s Corporate Communications Unit said that detectives have commenced investigations into the attack. Jane said that her family, co-workers and friends have been offering support.
“I am happy that no lives were lost and that my son will survive his injury. My co-workers and family have so far been reaching out to me. It is going to take a lot but I am going to be okay. This is hard because we are not people who trouble others, and we do not know what is going to happen next time. This is just too much,” she said.
*Name changed to protect identity