GUNMEN Wednesday descended to new level of depravity when they held up three teenaged boys and a 35-year-old man, told them to lie face down and executed them in the quiet Hayes community in Clarendon.
The brutal, heartless murders were committed at approximately 9:30 pm in the Moneymusk Housing Scheme, triggering islandwide shock and anger, and an immediate response from the police high command which launched an islandwide manhunt for the killers that has so far resulted in the capture of two suspects from the parish.
But even as the authorities were preparing to question the suspects they posted a $500,000 reward for information that could help them prosecute the killers.
“I want to assure you that we will leave no stone unturned in our search for those responsible,” Police Commissioner Carl Williams said as he visited the community and reached out to family members of the victims.
The words of encouragement from the police top brass were however not enough to silence the grieving mothers, whose cries could be heard on approach to the community, where residents mourned 14-year-old Raymond Givans, a student of Vere Technical High School; Ricardo Briscoe, also 14 years old, of Garvey Maceo High School; 16-year-old Alex Turner, who attended Central High; and Marquis Hamilton, a 35-year-old accounts clerk at the Sugar Company of Jamaica.
The Constabulary Communication Network reported that the three boys were walking along the road when they were pounced upon by two armed men who forced them onto Hamilton’s premises where they were gunned down.
Police yesterday theorised that robbery was the motive. However, residents gave another story.
The resident said the boys were walking home from a gym when they stopped in a section of the housing scheme to tap into an unsecured wireless Internet service.
“While they were sitting there, men came in the area and held them up at gunpoint,” said one resident.
Hamilton, who was sitting close to his house, was also held. The four were ordered to lie face down on the ground.
Minutes later the unthinkable happened. Sounds of gunfire echoed throughout the community. One source from the community said the gunmen, after carrying out the dastardly act, started running away but returned to the spot to ensure that the victims were dead.
Yesterday, Ann Marie Briscoe, mother of one of the victims, said from the moment she heard the shots she felt a pain in her stomach.
“I was in my house and I heard the gunshots rang out. Immediately I felt a pain. I took up my phone and called my son’s phone and it rang without anyone answering,” she said.
Minutes later, the mother said, she saw people running towards a section of the community.
“Oh God, help me go through this,” said the woman, who had to be consoled by residents.
Shock would turn to anger as she searched in vain for answers.
“Mi can’t believe mi son gone. Imagine, mi do everything to help the community and mi son come lose him life like this. There was no one to help,” the mother said.
One of her sons said he was among the group that ran to the spot. He said that when he saw his sibling lying by the side of the road he turned, walked away and then walked back to the spot to determine whether he was seeing right.
A group of women who gathered around the mother wept openly.
A stone’s throw away from the women, Hamilton’s common-law wife stood at the front of her house staring at the spot where he was killed.
In the distance, her son — who looked no more than four years old — stood in a corner unaware of what had happened to his father.
One of Givans’s relatives wept openly.
“Have mercy, can people be so heartless?” said the relative who was too afraid to give a name.
Meanwhile, a relative of Turner fought hard to conceal his pain as he remembered the youth as being jovial.
“He was a person who did not give trouble; he was always jovial,” said the relative who was also afraid to give his name.
Yesterday, Commissioner Williams called for residents to help the police in their search for the killers.
“This is an attack on the future, it is an attack on the innocent,” said Williams, who added that he was very concerned about the growing number of attacks against children in the country.
Officials from the Ministry of Education also visited the three boys’ schools.
tears…me caan finish read this met a 3 boy pickney me have. me weak
It is still very sad for me. I keep reading the headlines and wonder if my mind is playing tricks. Even after so many years.
Marquis and I went to clarendon College together, same class until we graduated in 2006. Everyone misses you bro .
Heartbreaking, condolences to the family and friends of the victims
GOD! I am crying! The pain is too much. Father God!! An eye for an eye!!!!!!!!!!! This is too much. No heart, NONE! WHY? I am still asking the question why? The poor Babies and the 35yr old as well. I am sooo sorry to say this honestly. But until the government clean up my country, This is ONE JAMAICAN NOT! AND I REPEAT, NOT GOING BACK. Look at Grenada? One of the most peaceful beautiful little or no crime island. Me have to tek bad things and laugh, But I shall be in that country for my retirement. This is senseless and those responsible should suffer the same faith.
Government ? What about the people who knows these criminal and harbouring them? We as Jamaican must stand up and fight against these evil doers and their minions , Government cannot do it alone they need the assistance of the people.
What is this world coming to smh,so sad
Wake up Jamaica
I NEVER thought I would become an advocate for the death penalty, but something this horrific is the reason why…the last straw. I’ve been literally forced to change the way I was thinking by those in charge, (courts, social engineers, and the government) who have become so fu**ing weak – kneed, and hasn’t done a friggin thing to cut down on the murder rate. I don’t understand how the hell these so – called people in “charge” can sit back silently and tolerate this unacceptable way of living. Jamaica 2015 is NOT a time to be gentle with law breakers!!!!!! It’s completely human to want to see wicked people punished as cruelly as possible. As such, why the fu** then don’t the people in “charge” put some concrete solutions in place to eradicate these unwanted criminals? Are these people in “charge” for real? Or, should I say they are nothing but cartoon characters?…… Shaking my head at the high savage attacks on the children in Jamaica. My heart bleeds with the families of the victims.
This is more than Robbery IMHO. Who in their right mind would execute 4 people for cell phone and a small amount of cash. I think they came to get to that house and the kids were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. The people one or more of these kids knew one or more of the killers and why they came back to make sure everyone was dead.
There is more to this story and the people that live in that community knows what’s going on and don’t want to talk.
But it sound like you know something Blogger. Why don’t you send a message to the police?
Hayes people stay bad. Dem know set sumtin else to it. How come mom fraid when she hear shat ring out??? Demon people Inna mix up fah try.
Words cannot express my sorrow and anger, the murdering of our innocents must stop. I’m exhausted with frustration and speechless. May God bring comfort to the families and loved ones of these people who were senselessly executed.
Jah know mi vex… How dem fi a kill likkle innocent youth… Seem like di youth dem know di killer dem… Witnesses, right place @ wrong time!!!
OH GOD HAVE MERCY
This is so sad.Met I’m from Clarendon ,my parish wasn’t like this. Oh lord from all ah town run weh gun man dem come tek up residence di place just get sick.can u imagine I take vacation every year and haven’t return in 10 years? nope Mi nuh waa lose my life …SMH such a beautiful place but full of destruction
Soo sad, my God
Nothing worse than a parent outliving one’s child and it is even more unbearable when a child is taken away in this regard. The Most High God will deal with the guilty…
As a Mother of two boys I cannot imagine the pain these Mothers feel, if one of my boys are hurt or even sick you would think it’s me……dear God what is this world coming to…..R.I.P
When you compound, wickedness and illiteracy with a corrupt and incompetent law enforcement/judicial system, senseless murders like this will take place. As Bounty Killer stated over 20 years ago, “police can’t work without information…” The garrison culture of Jamaica discourages citizenry and police cooperation; hence, individual citizens are discouraged to work with law enforcement.
Criminals are often not discouraged to subvert the law, because in most cases, Jamaica’s incompetent, corrupt and poorly equipped law enforcement mostly find a way to fail the people. I call for the destruction of all garrisons, empower, educate the youths and only then will we see a decrease in the subversive garrison culture/mindset…
If u dismantle all garrison PNP will lose 17 sure seats weh always a gi dem a head start at election time, so i dnt think dat will hppn….
Anon 10.01 Your comment just emphasize what is wrong with most Jamaican people , they only see things through orange or green lens glasses. So sad, we talking about 4 person murdered and you talking about politics .
Lord have mercy, this is heartbreaking :sorry
*TEARSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS*
SPEECHLESS
@Lalibela Nile, truer words have long been spoken. PREACH!!!!!
Tears!!!!
Met, is it true that a Police man involved? That di police went to kill di big man, but di kids were witness suh dem kill them too? Dear Lord, if a suh mi nuh know wah else fi seh, but LORRRRRRRRRRD,have MERCCCCCCCCY!!!
They were saying something like that on the news
It is beyond me how God hold his peace. It just makes no sense. My Lord, My Father what more do You need to see…..My God, My God, My Father…why do you hold Your peace? You show mercy to the wicked and give them time but who is guarding the innocent?
I can’t….
BOY!! SOME BLACK PEOPLE WICKED SAH! JAH JAH JUDGEMENT PON DEM LIFE & SOUL
BOY!! SOME BLACK PEOPLE WICKED SAH! JAH JAH JUDGEMENT PON DEM LIFE & SOUL