PEOPLE STILL BEING KILLED DURING STATE OF EMERGENCY

While still in effect, the States of Public Emergency across Western parishes, particularly in St. James and Westmoreland, seem to give no pause to marauding gunmen, who, despite the increased security presence, continue to wreak havoc, leaving yet another bloody weekend in the books of the crime-plagued West.

Red-hot St. James, which continues to be defiant to the security forces’ efforts, saw the deaths of thirty-five-year-old Damion Bogle, otherwise called ‘Pancho’ or ‘Prento’, a taxi operator of Content district, Adelphi, St. James; Shawn Lawrence of Providence Heights, 28-year-old Okeith Vincent, a farmer of Lambs River Unity Close, Farm Hill, St. James, and an unidentified male, whose body was found in Farm Heights, all on the weekend.

In the case of Bogle, according to reports from the Barnett Street Police Station, around 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, November 2, he was at a service (gas) station conducting business when gunshots rang out. Bogle was later seen lying on his back beside the gas pump with gunshot wounds to the head.

The police were alerted, and Bogle was taken to hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Unconfirmed reports suggest that Bogle had been embroiled in a brief dispute with a man in the vicinity of the Tastees parking lot, before he stopped by the service station where he was shot shortly after. Investigations continue.

While the police were processing that crime scene, they were called to another on nearby Hart Street, where several persons were shot by armed men who attacked a party. Following the shooting, Shawn Lawrence, the son of popular Montego Bay ex-crime fighter, Clive ‘Karate Georgie’ Lawrence, was found dead and four others shot and wounded.

The following day, Sunday, November 3, around 7:45 p.m., residents reported hearing explosions in the community of Porto Bello, and summoned the police.

On the arrival of the lawmen, the body of a male – dark complexion, about six feet tall, clad in a blue T-shirt, blue and white-checkered underwear, grey jeans pants, and blue Nike slippers, was seen lying face down in a pool of blood.

Closer inspection by the lawmen revealed that the body’s hands were bound, and its mouth was gagged with clear tape. Gunshot wounds were observed to the head. Up to press time, the body remained unidentified. Preliminary investigations continue.

Just hours later, around 9:15 p.m., in the community of Farm Heights, this time in a section of that community called First Street, explosions led residents to alert the police. On arriving in the area, the lawmen stumbled upon two gunshot-wounded men, one of whom turned out to be Vincent, who was shot to the head.

Both men were rushed to the Cornwall Regional Hospital, where Vincent was pronounced dead while being treated. The other wounded man, who received a shot to his thigh, was admitted in stable condition.

The St. James police have also reported several cases of shooting with intent over the weekend.

WESTMORELAND

Westmoreland has steadily been adding to the murder statistics, with Friday, November 1, seeing its latest addition to that list. Dead is 29-year-old Randy Richards, of Geneva, in that parish.

Information obtained is that about 5:30 p.m., Richards was among a group of men standing along a section of the roadway, when he was pounced upon by men who opened gunfire at him. He ran in an effort to escape, but was chased and shot several times to the upper body.

The police were summoned, who discovered Richards’ bullet-riddled body lying face down in a pool of blood.