Police Constables Keemo Walsh and Andualy Smith were best friends. Those close to the two said they went everywhere together. In fact, persons close to the dead cops said they were out celebrating a friend’s birthday on Saturday, May 2 while anticipating celebrating Smith’s birthday on Sunday, May 3.
It was therefore a shock for colleagues and friends when they heard that the two were dead in an alleged case of murder/suicide that shook the White River community near the tourist resort town of Ocho Rios, St Ann in the dead of night.
Smith, stationed at St Ann’s Bay, allegedly shot Walsh, who was stationed in Ocho Rios, while they were at the Grass Hoppa Bar and Grill in White River. He is reported to have then turned the gun on himself while in a vehicle transporting Walsh to the hospital.
The news appeared to have devastated the St Ann police who were trying to come to grips with the tragedy when the Jamaica Observer visited at sunrise Sunday.
“The mood in the division is very sombre” said head of the St Ann Police, Superintendent Steve Brown, his own face a mask of grief. “The two police officers who died were very very well-known and very popular. They were best friends; you never see one without the other. Two talented, two bright young men. It’s a really really sad mood in St Ann,” he said.
However, he said he was unable to say exactly how the incident unfolded as investigations are on-going.
“We can only confirm that two policemen from my division are dead and they died under very tragic circumstances and the information we have is that one shot the other and shot himself afterwards. The investigators are carrying out in-depth investigations at the moment,” Brown stated.
However, while the police have not been able to confirm what exactly unfolded, persons who allegedly witnessed the first incident have their version of what happened. Some persons have stated that the two were arguing when Smith shot Walsh. However, one patron at the bar and grill said the two were actually playing when Walsh was shot.
There are unconfirmed reports that Smith after shooting Walsh called for ‘backup’ informing colleagues that Walsh had been shot. Police officers reportedly went to the rescue not knowing that Smith was the one who had shot Walsh. Hence, he was not relieved of his firearm in the hurried process to get Walsh to the hospital. Smith who was said to be driving in the back of the service vehicle shot himself while on his way to the hospital with Walsh.
A policeman close to the two said Grass Hoppa was a regular hang out spot for the two who were fast friends.
“Smith is not that kind of person,” the policeman said. “No one expected it.”
Another policeman commented: “He does not let anything bother him, he was always smiling.”
Walsh, the leader for the Content Gardens Police Youth Club was also described as an outstanding individual. Trevor Grier, president of the youth club said the death of the club’s leader has shocked members.
“I don’t know how I’m going to console my clubbites because this morning everybody’s crying,” he stated, adding: “He was an active leader in the club; he was always there from the first day they introduced him to us. He was the person we could call for anything at any hour, day or night.”
Holding vigil at the St Ann’s Bay Hospital, one woman police sergeant, obviously shaken by the deaths, said: “They were two very good police, quiet, two brilliant minds.”
The age of the two men was not confirmed yesterday but both men are believed to be in their twenties. Walsh was a probationer while Smith served for some time in the police force.
Family members of the dead men as well as members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force were counselled on Sunday. Superintendent Brown said the Force chaplain along with several pastors came out to offer counselling. He said some ministers abandoned their churches Sunday morning to assist.
Investigators from the Independent Commission are also investigating the incident.
In the meantime, Opposition spokesman on national security, Derrick Smith expressed shock at the reports of the murder/suicide.
“Sunday’s murder/suicide in St Ann brings into sharp focus the temperament of police officers and their capacity to exercise restraint, both on and off the job. Even more importantly, it raises question as to whether the JCF has sufficient safeguards in place to identify members under particular stress or whose conduct has become high risk, and to take mitigating actions,” he stated.
Smith called on Police Commissioner Dr Carl Williams to ensure that members of the JCF are informed of the responsibilities that come with carrying a firearm.
“The enormous responsibilities that come with the possession of a firearm must always be impressed upon members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force. I am urging Commissioner Williams to ensure that this is being done and is being done in a manner that is likely to see good temperament and greater levels of restraint being exercised by members of the constabulary where firearm usage is concerned,” he stated in a media release on Sunday.
Caption: Independent Commissioner of Investigations officers on the scene at White River.
Why he killed himself?…….all he had to say is he saw his friend putting on a mask and was gonna rob the bar so he opened fire on him………its working for the police in Hopewell hanover
So sad, RIP. People always seh dem always have a smile pan dem face and nuttn nuh boddah dem. There is not a person on this earth wah something at one time or another nuh boddah. Sometimes the smile and lafftah is a defence mechanism. Suh suppn nuh sound right here at all..will wait until di rest of the story come out. Sad indeed, that two best friends guh dah way.
True words Tinan some of the most troubled and stressed people appear the happiest when in truth and in fact they are not. Sometimes the sweetest face, have the saddest fate.
Someting nuh right wid dis story. Here we have 2 best friends, 2 outstaning individuals with brilliant minds, who did everything together. Suddenly, one allegedly shoots the other. While the injured one was being transported to the hospital, the other one kills himself. Who dem a fool wid dis? Dis is like a nursery rhyme.
“The cow jumped over the moon.
The little boy laughed to see
such a fun,
and the dish run away with the spoon”
Trust me, nuh cow can jump ova de moon, and nuh dish can run wey wid nuh spoon! That’s ridiculous!
Something nuh right fi true @ mifedup it just doesnt add up…
I dont want to start rumour cause I am time zones away, but sumn bout this story makes me think batty bizzness. And the one in red look a whey, actually both of them get my batty radar beeping. yuh nah see dem eye lash.
A dat cross mi mind to but mi never want nobody seh mi mind too smutty suh mi seh mek mi wait till more details surface
Dis one too big fi mi. RIP
What could of been so bad that made him kill his best friend!!!!! If you are best friends with someone you should be able to argue and then move on from it… But whatever the arguement was really hit home to this man that he shot and kill his friend smfh
dem picture not doing dem justice, not one a dem av a smile on their face. bout always smiling!
3 people kill them Jay,Ray & nephew simple as dat case close …..NEXT!!!
I don’t see how the 30 year old and 20 year old are best friends. If they were really playing around then so be it fi dem. Romping around with guns is just plain dam careless.
I see a gangsta and a child.
Them could a find a friendlier picture from me see the pics witout reading da story me think bout sumthin else. Guess me nuh have nuttin good to say mek me come off a dis thread
The two a dem look gay as hell
Anonymous on May 4, 2015 at 4:20 pm – Reply That’s the same exact thing I was thinking.
Even if they were gay does that mean it’s okay that their death happened?
Ppl unfortunately you all come on here everyday and talk about how Jamaica gone to the dogs but still NUH see what part unnuh really play. Humans are humans period.
Yes, murder suicide synanimous with intimate relationship
Mental illness
Being high and paranoid
Playing Russian roulette – after all this is what one witness said him never say any penetration was taking place :/
So many possibilities , being lovers is just one thing but is it our business really ? We can’t empathise because they may or may not be gay?
Try use the super powers that you ppl have to detect gayness and use it to detect pedophiles and protect the girls that are being killed after all gay on gay crime is isolated but hetros are on a rampage. Maybe it ok because dem NUH gay.
Yall are sick … it was an accident smh he shot his best friend by accident and he died on the way to the hospital that’s when he killed himself it is sad and you are all disgusting to be suggesting batty business. Pathetic my goodness yall minds are so dirty and dark , condolences to their families may they rest in peace
Me no think them gay. I think is a case of alcohol and a gun and being how some man love hype up sinthing go wrong and d end result him kill him best friend ,and when him realize say him dead and prison a swing over him head and he gonna lose his job and ppl ago waan kill him fi di fren thts how him arrive at suicide.
Too much of a age differece to be best friends but it’s possible. I hope it’s doesn’t have to do with a lovers quarrel but we will never know what happened unless someone really heard the arguement and can put a finger to what lead up to him shooting his friend but in any case it is sad two human beings are gone and families are grieving there is too much grieving going on in Jamaica when is it going to stop..