WESTERN BUREAU:

Gunmen continued their reign of terror in the western parish of St James yesterday, killing an 89-year-old man.

The senior citizen, who lived alone, was attacked at his home in the volatile Hendon/Norwood community about 6 a.m. The police say that John Simpson was shot repeatedly and his house set ablaze by his attacker(s).

At press time, no motive had been established for the killing.

Reports are that residents in the area saw fire coming from Simpson's house and went to help him. It is said that when they managed to take him from the burning building, he was covered with blood.

Police personnel later confirmed they found several gunshot wounds to Simpson's body.

He was taken to the Cornwall Regional Hospital where he died while receiving treatment.

Since January, more than 100 murders have been recorded in St James.

Mt Salem murder

Meanwhile, the MoBay police are probing the shooting death of a 32-year-old grocer in Mt Salem yesterday morning.

He is Gerald Thompson of Hendon/Norwood.

Police reports are about 11:50 a.m., Thompson was at his business place when two gunmen shot him several times. He succumbed to his injuries at the Cornwall Regional Hospital.

Policeman dies

Police Commissioner Rear Admiral Hardley Lewin and National Security Minister Colonel Trevor MacMillan yesterday con-demned the weekend murder of Detective Police Inspector Marlon Harper.

He was assigned to the Scene of Crime Division.

Harper died in hospital yesterday morning, hours after he was shot by gunmen at Moreton Terrace, Kingston 10, on Saturday.

The inspector's murder brings to six, the number of police killed this year.