Babsy’s cousin among four killed in Kitson Town
As the murders of four people in the usually quiet community of Dover, in Kitson Town, St Catherine, shocked Jamaicans, it especially hit home for Culture Minister Olivia ‘Babsy’ Grange.
Grange, who is also Member of Parliament for St Catherine Central, is related to two of the victims, one of whom is in hospital.
“Gladstone Grange died and the other one, Bobby McLeod was injured. Grange is my cousin … my uncle’s son, and McLeod, who received injuries, is his brother-inlaw. It is very difficult … really unexpected and just something that I would not have imagined,” she said.
Since the murders, rumours have been swirling that the shooting was an act of reprisal for the killing of another man last Friday.
Head of the Area Five Police, Assistant Commissioner Gary Griffiths, said that out of an abundance of caution where reprisals are concerned, redeployment is necessary.
He said the security operations will have to be more visible throughout the area to maintain peace.
“We have our intelligence which would cause us to know there is a fear factor. We have used the SOE (state of public emergency) to capture many wanted persons
… but now we have to modify our approach,” Griffiths said.
He said that the number of persons affected by the incident requires a concerted effort. Investigators say they are following a strong lead in the case.
Meanwhile, residents of Kitson Town and surrounding areas said that the killing of the man on Friday affected them adversely.
“These persons just come in Kitson Town and cause problems and we are very shocked by this problem,” a resident said.