Adrian Frater, News Editor

Western Bureau:

An eerie gloom now hangs over the volatile Hendon/Norwood area of St. James as armed thugs, protesting against the police's killing of a man on Monday, have destroyed street lights in the area and blocked roadways.

"It is pretty desolate up here," a resident told The Gleaner yesterday. "Young men are walking around with big guns, manning roadblocks and firing shots like crazy. It is really frightening."

The incident that sparked the current unrest occurred shortly after 5:00 p.m. on Monday when a team from the police Alpha Squad killed 30-year-old Conroy Smith, an accused murderer out on bail, in an alleged shoot-out.

Resident's version

However, contrary to the police's version of the incident, in which they said a Brico 9mm pistol was recovered from the deceased man, residents are contending that Stennett was taken off a wall, where he was sitting with friends, and transported to another section of the community where he was executed.

The irate thugs, who are said to be manning the roadblocks around the clock, are said to be armed with high-powered weapons, including AK-47 rifles, and have been making it quite clear that the police are not welcome in the community.

However, Superintendent Steve McGreggor, the commanding officer for the St. James Police division, said while he was sensitive to the grieving by Stennett's family, he had no intention of giving up any ground to thugs.

"I have heard that some of them (the thugs) are walking around in bullet-proof vests, armed with high-powered weapons, but we will not be retreating," Supt. McGreggor said. "I am personally going up there to ensure that order is restored and the roads cleared so that law-abiding citizens and the police can move about freely."

In the immediate aftermath of Stennett's killing, irate residents of the area blocked the road leading into the community with flaming barricades. Since then, the area has remained tense.