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Hanover pastor shot dead
Horace Hines
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
HOPEWELL, Hanover — The New Testament Church fraternity was yesterday thrown into mourning following the fatal shooting of 32-year-old clergyman Keaven Dixon of Tryall in Hanover's Sandy Bay.
Dixon, who had gone to the Hopewell High School to collect a confirmation letter to commence teaching at the educational institution in September, was shot by a gunman posing as a parent.
 
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Dixon was said to be accompanied to the school by his two-year-old son, but who was left in his motor car.
The police said that about 10:30 yesterday morning, the gunman made his way onto the premises and asked for the principal. On advancing to the principal's office, he started banging loudly on her door. The principal made an alarm and the suspect reportedly ran outside the school gate where he saw Dixon talking on a cellular phone and shot him.
It is believed that the gunman thought Dixon was calling for help.
Dixon, who pastored the Riverside New Testament Church of God — near Sandy Bay — ran a short distance before collapsing.
He was rushed to the Cornwall Regional Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
An alleged eyewitness said the suspect arrived at the school gate and asked for directions as he wanted to pick up a package for his child who would be attending the school in September.
As the killing of the pastor's death spread, residents and members of Dixon's flock thronged the Sandy Bay Police Station. Among the grief-stricken were Dixon's widow, Gayle, who cried openly.
Pastor Jeffery Reid said the church fraternity was saddened by the tragedy.
"We are all traumatised. I can tell you that here in Hanover and all over in Jamaica because the calls are coming in from all over the island and they are all expressing their sadness," he said.
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7/27/2010
so sad, one productive member of society gone while an unproductive piece of gutter trash is walking and enjoying life....i hope this filth will get his just reward sooner than later.
7/27/2010
Hahah...Some you people are so ridiculous...The State of Emergency would have prevented the death of this pastor?
Hahahhahha.....poor souls.....
7/27/2010
Yet people want to complain when the security forces are trying to rid the country of those heartless animals.
This kind of pain cuts deep, my God what will it take to clean up this country.
I pray for the family.
7/27/2010
Such a sad story, but he is in a better place at this time......Jamaica needs help it is clear that the SOE dsplaced some of these hoodlums. I hope the killer once identified is shot on sight!
7/27/2010
This is so very, very sad and heart-rending. Condolences to the family, friends and congregants. May you experience the strength and comfort that only God Himself can give.
7/27/2010
has the country gone man, where are the police where are the patrol. me mean criminals can pose and teachers and pounce on inocent unarm people.
7/27/2010
It is so unfortunate, and even vulgar the way we play politics with people's life and well-being. Our positions on issues change with each blow of the political wind, and we are so forgetful. Bruce Golding has a different position on national issues for every season and this is our Prime Minister, is it logical to conclude that we promote inconsistencies and even outright deception. where is the place for integrity in national life.
7/27/2010
The State of Emergency shouldn't be the incentive to fight crime. First of all, this occurred in Hanover, the State of Emergency was being applied to the Kingston/St Andrew/St Catherine areas. So a State of Emergency wouldn't have necessary save this poor pastor. The issue of crime fighting should be separate and independent of tackling abuse of power; the SOE enables the latter, hence the reason I don't agree it should be kept in place.
7/27/2010
The Pleasant Hill killings and now the killing of Clergyman Keaven Dixon, is a reminder of the necessary force that needs to be applied to this wicked way of life. This gunman basically killed a stranger. Jamaica needs to be in an indefinite SOE; law abiding citizen should not be worried about the security force they should worry about the gunmen who will kill innocent citizen. The security force is our brother and sisters who are faced with a difficult job. Report suspicious activities; REFORM
7/27/2010
I finally found something to agree with George Watson about. I don't understand his ambivalence though. Did the 1600 deaths came from TG? But the idea to petition the GG with and a new mandate is a wise approach in stemming the tide of disorder and confusion in the country and provide the govt. some wiggle room in the event of backlash. George should have the same cup-a-tea tomorrow. Good thinking.
7/27/2010
I feel it so much for this pastor. A minister to people and now to be a teacher to young ones, gone, just like that.
If that murderer was held in the SOE, the likes of JFJ, lawyers and other civil rights groups will come to his aid. Who will come to the aid of this pastor (and note I did not say his family). Who can help the pastor now? Can JFJ? Can lawyers?
I would rather that the murderer and myself were both "wrongfully" detained, than for this pastor to be murdered.
7/27/2010
To those calling for the re-instatement of the SOE in light of this gruesome crime.
Remember the SOE was never in Hanover. It was limited to Kgn and St. Andrew & St. Catherine with a proposal for it to be extended to Clarendon.
7/27/2010
Thanks Jay Brown & Joe Robinson...I forgot that there was absolutely no killing done by criminals during the SOE..The 4 ppl killed in Bog Walk happened when again? So the SOE is going to stop crimes of passion & all unpremeditated killings? Get real and complain about the bundling of the SOE by both parties but stop arguing backwards with every death that occurs after the SOE. When we look for quick fixes we always fail to find real solutions. Don't be like Portia, talk sense.
7/27/2010
Bwoy, really sad. We need the SOE for at least 6 months right across Jamaica. The people need to be more vigilant as well, call the police if you see anything strange. The police themselves need to be more visible, more patrols, more searches, and more contacts with the communities.. They should broadcast a description and sketch of the suspect across the country.The people should call with whatever info they have.. We need everyone to get involved if we hope to defeat these murderers..
7/27/2010
The SOE could not have stopped this killing, but it it was effect the killer may have thought twice before approaching this compound not knowing if security forces were close or closing in, this reckless behavior of the PNP is the worst, these political parties need to be dismantled and start over with honest decent people who don't need their bread and butter from politics but do it voluntarily, no axe to grind, just love of country and people, although Jamaicans mke it hard to love them.
7/27/2010
We quibbling over a temporary loss of some of our rights, when we barely even have the right to LIFE, with the wanton murders around us. The underground gunmen seemed a bit discombobulated during the SOE, and the strategy should have been to cast a wider net over the island, not limiting the SOE to innercity areas.
Sorry about the pastor's brutal slayng; the only consolation is that he is now in the presence of the God he served so faithfully.
7/27/2010
I pray that in time God will give comfort to those who mourn. And for those who use guns to talk for them grant them the ability to communicate. Some criticize the SOE as a failure saying that the amount of guns and ammunitions found by the security force is nothing. Tell this man’s family that, it took one gun to kill him. Criminals are putting all their efforts into hiding their weaponry in this game of hide and seek, so the security force have to muster all their vigilance, diligence, intelligence and borrow magic-wand from some of these bloggers to help them find all the illegal caches. After all, we are talking about Jamaica where much is still desired in up-to-date crime fighting tools. Keep up the good work JCF.
7/27/2010
Why? That is all I can say, this hurts my heart.
7/27/2010
Another soul is gone! Let Party Politics go to H-E two sticks according to my father! Are we going to sit by and throw all blame on JLP and PNP? No! They are useless at the moment. Are we going to ask if it was PNP or JLP that did the killing in Hanover? God forgive if we do. Here's the deal... It was a thug of the same calibre that killed my husband and brother in Jamaica. My husband was a US Army Vet, Vietnam era. Look where he got killed J A M A I C A. Get a new body to govern crime!
7/27/2010
these hoodlums have no respect for schools or pastors anymore and if caught would go to jail and live off this same family tax paying money.police please "do not" take any prisoners "make sure you guys carry shovels to scrape this johncrow off the land"
7/27/2010
This is truly a sad day. When will this senseless killing stop? I hope the principal is taking precautions as it seems he or she was the target. My heart goes out to the family of the slain.
7/27/2010
My condolences to the family of Mr Dixion, and the radio just say that a policeman died from gun shot received last week. When will this all stop.? yet the PNP dont want the SOE maybe when these things happen to them they will wake up and face reality. BRING BACK THE SOE we need it and agagin my condoleneces. we grive with you.
7/27/2010
Joe Robinson, you are asking a question of Mrs. Simpson-Miller. I am now asking a question of you; did this killing have anything to do with a SOE in place or not?
Of course he needs to call a SOE. That is what he shiould have done in the first place, without involving the PNP. Bet if it were something that would make the PNP look good he wouldn't have involved them.
It has to do with politics, because he wants to say in the elections, that the PNP endorsed it too.
The man is slippery.
7/27/2010
Question to Mrs. Simpson Miller, Was this killing a plot by the JLP.? My sincere condolences and sympathy to the family of this young clergy whose life was taken away brutally. Jamaica cannot continue like this, the monster of crime must be dealt with urgently. Our citizens deserves to live in peace .The PM need to act swiftly and call a State of Emergency, thats the only way to deal with this grave situation until its under control..
7/27/2010
Here we go again, another senseless killing. Looks the the guy went for the principal and the pastor just happens to be colleteral damage.
This is what our criminal lawyers and rights group asked for ie remove SOE AND let gundogs unleash their wrath on the Jamaican public.
Its once again biz as usual in Jamaica.
The SOE is over, welcome once again to the killing fields of Jamaica.
7/27/2010
"As the killing of the pastor's death spread," This is a very interesting turn of words.
This is why (the event) I am very ambivalent about the SOE but am very concerned about the way in which the JLP went about it. They are the gov.and they shouldn't seek to share blame in the event of a backlash. Go to the GG, get a new mandate, spread it Islandwide and more even handedly and do it for a year and let the chips fall where they might.. I still think though that TG had more to do with it.
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