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Cudjoe Hill stirs to action, blocks roads for justice

spanish town

FOR THE SECOND day residents of the rural farming community of Cudjoe Hill in St. Catherine blocked the streets in protest against the shooting death of Dwight Harris, 29, by members of the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF).

Harris was shot at home in the area on Saturday at about 6 a.m., after members of the JDF went there in search of a man name ?Specie?. He was shot and later died in hospital. Police said a team went to the community as it was reported that members of the notorious 'One Order Gang' are operating from there.

The Bureau of Special Investigations is probing the matter.

As news of his death, residents blocked the main road in the community at various junctions with old car bodies, stones, car parts and other debris. They claimed Harris was a well behaved fellow and was killed in cold blood. Harris?s sister Andrea Thomas said her brother hardly spoke to people and will be sadly missed.

John Dwyer, a resident, said: "I cannot see for whatever reason why they would want to come and kill this young man. He is very mannerly and hard working and its a sad loss".

Member of Parliament for the community Dr. Ken Baugh, expressed shock at what happened. "While the residents want the security forces to do their job, they are demonstrating against the callousness of the method employed in dealing with a citizen who was later pronounced dead, having being shot," he said.