W Kingston death toll at 7 - Over 50 wounded in shootings between security forces, gunmen

By Glenroy Sinclair, Staff Reporter

THE GUNFIGHT between the security forces and gunmen continued yesterday for the second consecutive day in the western section of Kingston, with the police saying the casualties were seven shot dead and more than 50 wounded by bullets.

In addition, the police said they had detained more than two dozen people and seized six illegal guns and 140 assorted cartridges.

Following the shootings on Saturday, the Jamaica Defence Force called out the National Reserves, the 3rd. Battalion, Jamaica Regiment, and all members of the JDF who are not on leave, to beef up the team fighting the upsurge of violence in parts of west Kingston.

As the violence raged, the police yesterday detained more than two dozen people for questioning and said that seven persons had been killed and more than 50 people had been shot and wounded.

There were reports yesterday that a 14-year-old boy was shot dead on Bond Street and that a JDF officer was shot and wounded. The police said also that at least two other soldiers and two policemen were shot and injured.

Among the victims are Corporal Mark Henry of the Jamaica Constabulary, and Lance Corporal Kevin Lawrence of the JDF, and a 20-year-old woman identified as Kenesha Reid of Charles Street, who were all shot dead on Saturday. The body of an unidentified man was found on a handcart on Pechon Street, the police said.

Up to yesterday evening police records showed that 30 civilians had turned up at the Kingston Public Hospital with gunshot wounds since Saturday; three were pronounced dead.

Police Area Four detectives reported that another 11 civilians showed up at the KPH yesterday with gunshot wounds; one was pronounced dead.

Gunshots were heard near the KPH yesterday and bullet holes were seen in the walls of newly-constructed wards at the hospital.

A team of policemen at the command post above the Coronation Market, Spanish Town Road, said that several explosives, believed to be dynamite, were thrown at the building where they were on duty.

The police said they intercepted on Marcus Garvey Drive yesterday, a bus with several men which had just left Tivoli Gardens. The men were taken to the Hunt's Bay police station for processing.

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