Violence on Red Hills Road

Mannings Hill Road quiet

JamaicaObserver.com

Monday, May 24, 2010

POLICE and gunmen were this morning engaged in a gunfight along Red Hills Road as members of garrison communities loyal to powerful Kingston don, Christopher 'Dudus' Coke joined the fray of civil unrest in his support.

Assault rifle and shotgun blasts rang out along the normally busy thoroughfare of Red Hills Road from Sunday afternoon and continued this morning.

Rogue elements have erected blockades in the vicinity of Karl Samuda Boulevard near the community known as 'Common'.

More blockages were erected in the vicinity of Park Lane and the Emmanuel Gospel Assembly. Police said thugs chased away jerk chicken vendors and used their jerk pans to erect roadblocks. Tyres were also burnt in the streets.

The communities of Park Lane and Common are fiercely loyal to the ruling Jamaica Labour Party and are the main support bases of Industry Minister Karl Samuda's North Central St Andrew constituency.

"They blocked the road and the police went there to clear it. They fired on the police and the shooting lasted for some time," head of crime for the St Andrew North Police Division, Deputy Superintendent Altermoth 'Parra' Campbell told the Observer.

None of the officers were hurt in the incident.

Cops and gunmen also traded bullets along Mannings Hill Road at a roadblock in the vicinity of Clifton Boulevard.

Police have since cleared that blockage and a tense calm remains in the area.

Related stories:

Security forces move on Tivoli Gardens

Soldiers clear Red Hills Road

Labour Day projects continue

Civil unrest spreads to Spanish Town

Excelsior, Exced exams moved

Violence on Red Hills Road

'Defend yourselves!' - Commish to police

Kingston 'much calmer' - police

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COMMENTS (20)

gary lee
5/24/2010

I would like to appeal to all the citizens of TG and surrounding areas who declare they are protecting Dudus, to cease their hostilities against the police force, and not to attack the stations.
The three losses of life are already great. Any escalation of this protest will cause further deaths, which may be your own. The police have shown great restraint in performing their duties in the face of danger.
We are all Jamaicans, we cannot continue to destabilize our country and kill each other on behalf of the US and their extradition request. Let good sense prevail.

Wa Tch
5/24/2010

@jimmo such are the consequences of 9 months of delay, leaks and opportunism on the part of the govt.

raz rik
5/24/2010

This Prime minister and this Police Chief should resign because they have watched helplessly as gunmen reap havoc on the society.What are they waiting on to send in the military?

5/24/2010

Reneto Adams, your country needs you.

jimmo vaRNEY
5/24/2010

What i cant understand is why the whole thing had to be played out in the press, if it was a normal citizen the only time the public would no that an arrest was made would be after it was done, you would'nt have this whole media circus around it before the warrent was exicuted

Wa Tch
5/24/2010

@John Curious.
Leadership? Civic society, the media and the public have accepted Bruce's apology and want to move on. Such powerlessness in the face of slackness does not encourage strong leadership.
It will require intervention from more powerful forces.

pop eye
5/24/2010

what is happening in jamaica is politic. the police them can't get to do their job freely cause their hands are tied,so ppl don't curse the police it's the old politic.the gunmen dem no trained like the police it's cause dem case act how dem want to!!!!!!!!

John Henry
5/24/2010

I am wondering when is the police going to take decisive action, and stopped being cowards. DESTROY THESE PEOPLE so that decent people can live peacefully.

Sharon Peart-Rose
5/24/2010

This is war - it should be treated as such. The JDF should be used as in any other situation of war. When Bruce confessed, it became abundantly clear why we could never control the crime - the situation was rotten from the very head!

Esmore Gillings
5/24/2010

After this sordid affair is over and the man in question is freed or handed over to the US or whomever else want him, what next? What about the followers, what about the destruction of properties who will be held responsible. I hope the powers that be have recognised that the work does not stop there. We need to weed out every last one of these lunatics either by will or by force........I am willing to be inconvenienced in order for these hoodlums to be incapacitated.

Courtney Powell
5/24/2010

Hope the current situation the country is facing, now reinforce the need for there to be a security force in Jamaica, independent of the political influence, whose sole interest is stability within the country, Again I iterate that Prime Minister Bruce Golding should resign and possibly face charges for obstructing justice.

John Curious Public
5/24/2010

"Defend yourself"
.
What kind of backwards instruction is that from the Commiish? How about going on the "offensive" to root out criminals? What thing is becoming abundantly clear, the JCF appears to be inept and incompetent.
.
Now more than ever Jamaica needs an effective "security force" . Note, i said security, not necessarily police. All hands on deck.
There is a war being fought inside our borders and right now the bad guys are winning.
.
LEADERSHIP PLEASE!!!!

John Curious Public
5/24/2010

Has he resigned yet??
.
Nothing less will be acceptable.

key martin
5/24/2010

Jamaicans and people who love Jamaica have no clue on how to fix this . The politicians have been allowed to mess up these things and these gunmen are their children but they cannot manage them . The average Jamaican wants to be comfortable and live peacefully but you bump into these animals what can we do .? People need advocates or groups that are looking out for the country but we don't want to be associated with any party.

Nadine Johnson
5/24/2010

So no one Can defuse there Constituency? Every Area gonna flare up and no one to calm the people ok people Jamaica will burn that it. The more the Headlines come out the more it seems the citizens r on there own ? God help us.

Alex Balogun
5/24/2010

Using the poor guys Jerk chicken Pan to block road??? Looks like those guys on Redhills road have run out of Debris... Thank God!

Nadine CJ
5/24/2010

Jamaicans, we need to unite and stop the violence and the distruction of our country. Stop and think, under no circumstance should a 'don man' be ruling our country. we are a free nation. we need to protect the future of our children and their children. Ladies, stop exploiting yourselves and your young daughters. Jamaica is a beautiful country and we are distroying it with the nonsence.

t g
5/24/2010

So is this news have to overshadow the good going on in Jamdown? What about Bolt, how does this look on him?

otis grant
5/24/2010

heard on the TV that kingston labour day projects are still on and are being closely monitored by the police. is this the same police who have been abandoning police staions and squad cars under fire from gunmen? are people being asked to risk their lives needlessly? what a country.

Paul Gentles
5/24/2010

Is the govt. orchestrating mayhem?
Rogue elelments are organising themselves and getting bolder and bolder as the hour pass.
Like wildfire anarchy is spreading - still the police hands are tied just as Dors hand was tied!
Mr Ellington the police are being shot at on sight like they are the rogues, where is your plan??
Why are you and the govt allowing this to happen???

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