Community on edge after triple killing

Simmonds Park, off Olympic Gardens, Kingston 11, was eerily quiet when the news team visited yesterday, the result of a triple killing that took place in the community on Sunday morning.

According to a report from the Corporate Communications Unit, the deceased are Chrismar Hydol, 31, Meschado Smith, 26, and David Archer, 36.

Another man was wounded in the incident. The men were among a group of persons who were standing along the roadway when a Honda motor car drove up. Two men alighted and opened fire hitting the group.

Hydol and Smith were pronounced dead on the scene, while Archer later died at the Kingston Public Hospital. Smith, who is of Bay Farm Road, a neighbouring community, was said to have been visiting someone in the area.

A bullet hole in a parked car tells the horrifying tale of what transpired. A resident said that none of the deceased were known to be involved in any form of criminal activity and were just at the wrong place at the wrong time.

“As far as I know, none of the men that were killed were gun slingers, decent people dem. One a the youth dem just all get a promotion a him workplace. It could be anybody who get dem dead because a shop dem deh a wait to get serve,” he said.

The man said that while no one knows for sure what could have triggered the attack, there are numerous theories.

“Right now, the whole community tense and there is a lot of speculation as to what could have caused this. There are some things that the police don’t know but a lot of different argument you hear. The best thing everyone can do right now is just stay in and be safe,” he said.

Detectives from the St Andrew South Police Division are investigating.

S.M.L.