Police in the capital were kept busy Wednesday after two men were killed in separate shooting incidents 13 hours apart.

The most recent murder happened through Dunmore Street, just 30 minutes after police officials said they conducted routine patrols in the area.

Police officials said it was around 12:20 p.m. when they got the call and reported that gunshots rang out through the corner just south of Demeritte’s Funeral Home.

Head of the Central Detective Unit Superintendent Paul Rolle said when responding officers arrived, they met a man lying in the street suffering from multiple gunshot wounds to the upper body.

He was pronounced dead at the scene.

“Our preliminary investigations suggest that this male was standing along with a couple of other young men when they were accosted by a lone male who produced a handgun and fired several shots in his direction fatally wounding him,” he said.

“We do appeal to persons who may have information with regards to this latest homicide to reach out to the police so we can try and bring resolve to this as quickly as possible.”

Police could not positively identify the victim at the time, but they said they have an idea of who he is.
Sources on the scene said the man is believed to be between 18 and 21-years-old and a resident of the Bains Town and Grants Town constituency.

When the Journal arrived at the scene a crowd had already gathered and a woman believed to be the victim’s relative had to be consoled.

Nearer to the actual crime scene, police a pool of blood could be seen soaking into the earth as crime scene investigators collect clues.

Officer in Charge of the Southern Police Station Assistant Superintendent Phillip Hinzey admitted, though, that there has been an increase of criminal activity in the area in recent weeks.

“We go back to early to mid-April, there’s been an increase of shooting related matters and we had one death,” ASP Hinzey said. “Then again (Wednesday) we are on record to have a second one.

“We have no information to suggest that we have any gang related incidents. We have intelligence to suggest that the area, if you rate it from one to 10, it would reach a scale of eight in terms of drugs and firearm related matters.”

An area resident who did not want to be identified said he fears this latest incident is the result of a drug deal gone bad.
And if his predictions are right, retaliation is right around the corner.

“You will hear the news later,” he said. “You will hear them screaming, ‘Come by Quakoo Station, come by Quakoo Station!’ He lives on the other side of this streets, so you have to go and ask them when they coming across here.

“But it won’t be long. It’s too close. These areas are just too close.”

The area resident who lost a son to gun violence just over two months ago said he lives in the midst of an ongoing turn war.
Hours earlier, a 29-year-old Pinewood Gardens man was gunned down outside his residence on Jacaranda Street.
According to police, this incident occurred around 11:00 p.m. Tuesday.

The man had just walked outside his home and was heading towards the vehicle of a female acquaintance who was waiting for him when a group of males drove up and one of the occupants opened fire and the group then sped off, police said.

The man was shot multiple times to the body and was taken by EMS personnel to hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Four males ages 35, 30, 18 and 17 were arrested shortly after 2:00 a.m. Wednesday at the residence of the 30-year-old suspect who police have labeled their “prime suspect” in Pinewood Gardens.