Derick Allen holds the hand of his dead sister, 50-year-old Angela Allen, whose body lies in the back of a Madden's funeral home van. Ms. Allen and her common-law partner, 68-year-old Ronald Williams, were shot and killed by gunmen at their home in Torrington Park, Kingston, early yesterday morning. - Norman Grindley/Deputy Chief Photographer

A common-law couple was murdered at their home in Torrington Park yesterday morning by gunmen who also attempted to torch the Trench Town Police Station, in western Kingston.

Police investigators have identified the couple as 68-year-old Ronald Williams and 50-year-old Angela Allen. The police reported that they were shot several times while asleep.

The incident occurred shortly after 6:00 a.m. It is alleged that the killers gained entry by kicking in a door which led to the couple's apartment.

"Members of the same group also fired a barrage of gunshots on the Trench Town Police Station, then threw a Molotov cocktail bomb on the compound, but it did not ignite," head of the West Kingston Police Division, Superintendent Delroy Hewitt, disclosed yesterday.

Revenge

The police believe the attacks were revenge for the fatal shooting of Gerald Burton, 21, alias 'Pluto', and another man known only as 'Sean', by the police.

They were killed in what the police described as a gun battle on Benbow Street on Thursday. The police said a Smith and Wesson 9mm pistol was taken from one of the men.

But residents are insisting that the men were killed in cold blood by the police.

Two weeks ago, Cedric White, a businessman, was shot and killed. He was accused of being a friend of the police. It is alleged that the gunmen had threatened to wipe out all the close associates of White. Williams and Allen were two of his friends.

"They have been planning on destroying the community, threatening to get rid of some people who they believed are associates of the police. Last year, they killed two such persons, Mr. Delroy Thompson and Mr. Derrick Lewis," said Supt. Hewitt.

He said the police were using all the resources available to them to bring the situation under control.

The rift in the community reportedly began sometime last year with a dispute among men from Torrington Park, Benbow Street and Lower Ivy Road.

glenroy.sinclair@gleanerjm.com