News

No peace in West Kingston

Residence protest in front of the Denham Town police station in West Kingston yesterday. - Norman Grindley

RESIDENTS OF SOME communities in West Kingston are charging that Tuesday's shooting on Milk Lane is an attempt to sabotage the peace in the community.

"All a wi live here and nutten nuh gwaan and then suddenly dem (police) and man inna shoot out," one resident said.

This displeasure saw residents mounting several roadblocks, one of which was set ablaze along Spanish Town Road forcing traffic to be diverted . Milk Lane, Wellington Street and a section of North Street which lead off Spanish Town Road were also blocked.

Protest

A large group of residents, including several children from Tivoli Gardens, Milk Lane and other Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) strongholds in West Kingston gathered outside the Denham Town police station with placards to protest Tuesday's shooting. "Hundreds of shot fire by soldier and no soldier jeep nuh get shot up but di whole a wi house and wall full a bullet hole," one resident said.

On Tuesday a police man was shot and injured during a gun battle with gunmen which started while a joint police and military group were on patrol in West Kingston.

Zion Train, an area leader from the community, was allegedly shot during the shoot out and later died in hospital while two other men who were shot were taken to hospital and treated.

Chanting 'murder' and 'we want peace' residents waved their placards outside the station while a group of armed officers monitored the situation from the station's steps.

Partying mood

At one point, residents seemed to get into a partying mood singing Bogle's All dem deh, weh dem deh did deh" while pointing at the officers. .

Bruce Golding, Member of Parliament for West Kingston who later arrived and met with police personnel, told residents that the police will be investigating the incident and he too will be doing his own information gathering because he is getting conflicting accounts.

He said the police will not be charging any of the men who were shot and now in hospital and so they will be allowed to go home. Assistant Commissioner of Police Granville Gause and head of the Bureau of Special Investigation confirmed that he would be heading investigations into the shooting.

THE STAR understands that the guns belonging to the policemen involved have been taken from them for testing and their hands will be swabbed. Golding also announced that Zion Train's hands are also to be swabbed as part of the police investigations.

In the meantime, he is encouraging residents to remain calm and allow the police to investigate. Assistant Commissioner in charge of Area four, Gilbert Kameka said the police will be maintaining a presence in the area. "We will continue with our normal policing activities such as our patrols," he said.