Investigators probing the shooting death of 49-year-old Yvette McLean and her 12-year-old son Devontae Haughton at their Tucker, St James, home early yesterday, say the murders may have been a case of mistaken identity.
The police reported that about 2:50 am residents heard explosions and summoned them to the community. On their arrival, McLean and Haughton were seen with gunshot wounds, the police say.
“We are hearing that they may not have been the target,” a police source told the Jamaica Observer, but declined to give details, noting that the investigations are at an early stage.
When theObserver visited the crime scene in the tough community yesterday, some residents and community members wept openly. They were, however, tightlipped about the incident and refused to speak to members of our news team.
“A nuh dem should a dead; a the wrong persons dem kill; dem a innocent people,” some residents were heard saying.
Haughton, a 12-year-old student at the Hopewell High School in Hanover, and his mother, as well as other family members, were reportedly asleep when gunmen reportedly kicked open the door and opened fire on them.
The mother and son received bullet wounds and were taken to hospital where they were pronounced dead.
Two other occupants of the house were not harmed.
“The gunmen dem just kicked down the door and start firing. Dem didn’t even ask any questions,” one of the occupants who escaped injured reportedly said.
Yesterday, former Mayor of Montego Bay Senator Charles Sinclair, who visited the murder scene, condemned the brutal attack on the residents, describing it as “gruesome and upsetting”.
Describing the number of murders in the parish of St James in recent times as “frightening”, Senator Sinclair called for “drastic measures” to be put in place in an effort to stem the crime wave in the parish.
“My personal view is that in the short term the police should be given more resources and a limited state of emergency should be established in certain sections of the parish, which will afford the police more powers to deal with the crime problem,” Sinclair argued.
More than 70 homicides have been committed in the parish since the start of the year.
This article made my blood run cold. Senseless violence… look on the child? Lord I can’t… Neighborhood need to talk up what they know now but then again if gun man a kick off door and not even sure about their targets I see why they are “tight lipped.” Do they still have “Crime-Stop” in Jamaica for anonymous tips??
Crime stoppers is in Jamaica, and all when nobody nah kick off door these bitches still remain silent; probability that the killers are the neighbors sons, cousins, uncles, grandpas and all that is always high.
***For the uninformed or propaganda spreaders- crime-stoppers doesn’t collect information by NAME, Address or Phone#! Payout is made cash, by a representative of the organization at a pre-arrange location at that time contact is made in the same manner of no personal information disclosure.
Rubbishing a next myth: it would be VERY easy to know that the rep disclosed the meeting spot and the reps are usually well vetted professionals who are volunteers of the crime-stoppers organization with a lot to lose in life.
It’s very sad P.P and what’s even more disappointing is that the crime rate and intensity of the violence has escalated so much that really, anyone is at risk. You would think that the community would band together to get these demons off the streets but they say FEAR can be PARALYZING. #RIP again to this young man and his mother. #Disappointed
So two lives gone because of mistaken identities? Somebody please come explain this to me because I don’t understand. Smh.
Observer! I can’t stand you MOFOS 1/2 ass reports!
So in total there were 4 people in the house base on “Two other occupants of the house were not harmed.”
So one of the two stated “The gunmen dem just kicked down the door and start firing. Dem didn’t even ask any questions,” one of the occupants who escaped injured reportedly said.”
SO dem damn well and survive and a act the fool, meanwhile a few a look pon dem and no say that son of a bitch shouldn’t be breathing base on the statement that “A nuh dem should a dead; a the wrong persons dem kill…”
it look like all occupants weren’t on the scene or there a mingle as an observer…
these unholy bastards
“A nuh dem should a dead; a the wrong persons dem kill; dem a innocent people,” some residents were heard saying.” ??????? what di hell dis mean? suh dem know what a gwahn man, caz how and why in God’s name would you make a statement like that?
Some drastic measures need to be taken wid dem dutty no good criminal yah..