By Damion Mitchell, Staff Reporter
Cops operating from the new command post in the Central Kingston community of Tel Aviv on Saturday in response to shootings in the area. - Rudolph Brown/Staff Photographer
TWO MORE persons were shot and killed in the Corporate Area between Saturday night and yesterday morning, pushing the murder tally so far this year up to 261.
The Constabulary Communication Network (CCN) reported yesterday that 19-year-old Nicardo Williams, labourer of Bald Plate Way, Seaview Gardens, Kingston 11, was shot and killed by an armed man while walking on Chesterfield Drive, yesterday morning. Twenty-year-old mason, Dale Walker, was shot and killed on Mountain View Avenue on Saturday night at about 7:30. A teenager who was standing with him was injured in the thigh.
These killings have pushed the murder tally to 261 for the first 110 days of the year. CCN was only able to produce figures up to Thursday, however, which gave a total of 243. Seventeen persons have been killed since the CCN figures were last updated.
CURFEW ENDS TODAY
A 48-hour curfew in the 'Tel Aviv' area of Central Kingston, scheduled to end this morning, is being extended as the security forces increase efforts to curtail gang warfare which has taken two lives and left six others nursing gunshot wounds over the past week.
Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Victor Hinds, the ground commander in Tel Aviv, said yesterday that the curfew would be extended "for some time until the police hierarchy decides otherwise". The curfew began at 10:00 a.m. Saturday.
About 15 men were taken into custody on the weekend as the police tried to flush the area of criminal elements. DSP Hinds reported yesterday that several of the men have since been released and the others were still being interrogated and could soon be formally charged in connection with recent criminal offences.
DESPERATE GUN BATTLE
On Monday, a daring gun battle just across the street from the Central Investigation Branch (CIB) headquarters, East Queen Street, resulted in the death of one man and injury to two others. The following day another man was shot and killed. On Wednesday, four persons were shot when gunmen invaded Lissant Road and opened fire on residents. At least two persons were later arrested and charged in connection with that incident.
On Saturday, the police seized an illegal firearm in the community during a search carried out as part of the curfew.
Several Tel Aviv residents, who spoke with The Gleaner yesterday, said that they were fearful that the removal of the command post, set up on Saturday as part of the curfew, could result in a resumption of the violence.
The Gleaner observed six red flags mounted on light posts along Laws Street, which the residents said were mounted on Friday night and are symbolic of the intentions of some of the armed men in the area to continue the shootings.
In the meantime, DSP Hinds says the police will continue to maintain a strong detachment in the area as well as periodical searches. He also said the police was appreciative of the community's support since the imposition of the curfew on Saturday.
