‘We no used to dem things here’
Tuesday’s quadruple murder in the community of Dover, Kitson Town, St Catherine, has left residents puzzled as, according to them, this is a far stretch from the norm.
Sophia Spence, 45, told THE STAR that camaraderie echoes throughout the community.
“All the while we hear it (murders) pon news, but me neva know it woulda come right ina we doorway. A regular thing fi people deh out pon the road … pickney deh pon road any hours, so this came as a shock. No war nuh gwan round yah suh … if yuh even hear likkle loud noise, a when dem drink and feel nice dem mek dem likkle noise,” she said.
Raymond Bennett, who has been living in Dover since he was a child, said: “We no used to dem things here”.
“A yah suh me grow up. A nuh our reputation this. Me belly a hot me, me head a hot me, me back a hot me! This a stress me out. Good good Dover district? This nuh make no sense!
Senseless! Nuh noise, nuh commotion, nuh violence and all of a sudden people a get shoot up,” he said.
Bennett also lamented that the incident took place “right inna the Christmas time”.
“Is like somebody drop big rock pon top a the place … me feel crushed. Right now, I cannot focus on Christmas again because we affi go bury four a we people. Dis yah Christmas yah sad because dis is a tragedy,” he said shaking his head.
Another resident, Jeremy Jones, scrubbed blood stains off the ground outside the shop where two of the murders took place.
“Right yah now the place raw … me affi wash out the place wid some bleach. Jah know, to how deh so raw, me couldn’t stay deh. Me caa believe a this gwan,” he said as he scrubbed.
Even persons who don’t live in Dover attest to the community’s peaceful nature.
“This (the shootings) came as a shock. Me never experience nuh problem in here and me travel in here daily because me operate a taxi in the area. Me neva yet have no problem with anybody,” said taxi driver Aston Blair.