TWO MEN were gunned down during separate drive-by shootings in the Admiral Town and Craig Town areas of Kingston 12 Wednesday evening, in what is believed to be the continuation of a row over drugs which began in the United States a few weeks ago.Police identified the victims as Dean Johnson, 30, a higgler of Penn Street, Jones Town, and Marlon Shields, 30, labourer of Union Street, Craig Town. The deaths have pushed the number of homicides since the start of 2002 to 95, averaging more than two a day.
Allegations are that Johnson who was deported from the United States recently, had robbed a quantity of cocaine from a former friend, prior to his being deported. It is also alleged that Johnson's victims in the USA traced him to his address in Jamaica.
The police say that about 5.30 p.m., Johnson was standing on Penn Street when a darkly tinted white Toyota Corolla car drove up. A man with a handgun got out and sprayed him with bullets, hitting him more than 15 times.
About 30 minutes later, Shields was shot 12 times, he died at the scene. The police said he was walking along Chamberlain Road about 6.15 p.m., when men in a white car drove up and opened fire at him. Detectives probing the matter said they found four 9mm spent shells at the scene.
Reports reaching The Gleaner are that Shields was killed as a reprisal for the slaying of Johnson.
