Kingston 'much calmer' - police

Shootings, looting last night

JamaicaObserver.com

Monday, May 24, 2010

POLICE are reporting that the capital is currently 'much calmer' following yesterday's outbreak of violence when gunmen attempted to prevent the arrest of reputed Tivoli Gardens don Christopher 'Dudus' Coke.

However, up until now, gunshots are still being heard on Red Hills Road in St Andrew nearby St Richards Primary School.

There were incidents of looting in the commercial district of downtown during the evening while light was cut off in certain affected areas by the Jamaica Public Service Company.

"There was some shootings last night but some amount of calm has returned," a spokesman for the Constabulary Communication Network told the Observer moments ago.

In one incident late yesterday evening two policeman were killed and six injured after they came to the aid of a female motorist. She had turned up at Rockfort Police Station to report that she was shot and injured at the intersection of Mountain View Avenue and Deanery Road, St Andrew and that another motorist had been attacked at the same location.

The cops became stranded on the grounds of nearby Excelsior High School after being penned in by gunmen. The six injured cops were among those that came to rescue them.

After the situation was brought under control and the injured policemen were taken to hospital where the two died. Two policemen have been discharged while four remain hospitalised in stable condition.

The cops were attached to the Motorised Division and Kingston East Division.

Police said that certain key roads downtown remain blocked, including Spanish Town Road and those leading to Kingston Public Hospital.

A state of emergency remains for the area of Kingston and St Andrew.

Two policemen were shot and killed and six others shot and injured during a shootout with gunmen on Mountain View Avenue, Kingston 2 last night.

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 (21)

Paul Lewis
5/24/2010

They can say calm has been restored, for they are not where the action is and is only calling the radio stations to give reports. Where is the so-called Army and why are they not in the forefront ?.

c p
5/24/2010

I am not from J.a but I am moved to comment on this issue as I have been following dudus situation for a while. It is all very sad, he must fall, his father went same way. However I have this to contribute.
1. I thank God for life. I might not be the richest man in the world but I am more grateful to him after following this..
2. In my eyes, it seems like there is no way to handle this other than to kill them all really. I read that the buses trying to transport people were left empty. They have made there choice, pray for their sins, clear the whole area, and God bless them souls. Please save as much children as possible,
However i believe they would be used as human shields and will cause casualties. It is evident that these Gangsters are in for war, and want to continue their wickedness.
3. Mr Coke I believe is hiding in some hole, trying to grow locks. If he is as smart as they make him out to be, he cant still be in Tivoli. Well his mansion is not there. so i say hes gone.

Yel oler
5/24/2010

My condolences to the families of the FALLEN POLICEMEN. To the others on the battle front, my prayers and full support are before you. It is going to take all well-meaning and nonpartisan jamaicans to fight this cancer.

Jay Brown
5/24/2010

Stay tuned to breaking news.
Meeting to continue with Coke's lawyers today
If it goes well barricades to start coming down today
He will surrender to chief justice in her chambers.
See the breaking news on the blog.

paul m
5/24/2010

People please do not think that gunmen have not been killed ...the norm is for the gunmen to retrieve the bodies and guns of their slain comrades to try to demoralize the police and the population because if no body count is known then other policemen and the population believes that the gunmen are superior....and for those that will ask why not get the guns when the gunmen fall...well if there are 7 police and 30 gunmen if 10 gunmen are killed the police still have 20 to contend with while fighting for their lives and the gunmen will try to defend the gun and the bodies..to all the persons who become experts by reading and watching the news..THIS IS A FACT!!

Jah Imanja
5/24/2010

This whole sordid affair is genesis to revelation.Genesis begins from Back O Wall,revelation,Tivoli Gardens.Now the genesis of Back O wall has got us all leaning an a wall to be executed by revelation; Tivoli Gardens."This morning I woke up in a curfew.oh lord, I was a prisoner too.Could not recognize the faces standing over me-they were dressed in uniforms of brutality.Tivoli is not the mother of all garrison,but the revelation and manifestation of the HALVES and the HALF NOTS.Think about it for a moment.There was a time if you had an West Kingston address you would be denied employment.And if you're TOO BLACK, you would be denied a promotion and would be passed over for someone less qualified.Think about this.You could send your children to "Ivy League schools like Campion,Immaculate,St.Georges, to name a few.Think about how we grudge and wuk obeah on our neighbour because them just "trust" a piece of furniture from court.We're all "dudusized" hyprocrits!

Jay Brown
5/24/2010

Police startegy: watch it unfold.
The police are working on a strategy for TG which I cannot reveal at this point on time.
But watch how it will play out before the end of today.
Ok Mr Ellington - that was very very smart !!!

Yaadman in DC
5/24/2010

Since gumbwoys think they're in charge, we the citizens must know that we may have to come physically to the rescue of our country. What do we need? We need the USA govt to send us a few plane load of supplies. We will take on these cowards and obliterate then once and for all. People in these times, the police obviously cannot help you as they are barely trying to help themselves. It now has to be us against them. This is not a time for cowardy or talk. We need to stop demanding things we are not willing to do ourselves. The police and army guys have families too. We the citizens must be willing to fight physically. As in all other of my posts, i say after we get all the bulldozers out. I am sick and disgusted by everyone show is "calling on gunmen' to do this and do that...calling on Dudus to do and do that. These are wasted words. We need to artillery to help the police. Get up! Stand up! or shut up!

Nicolas Henry
5/24/2010

Jamaicas' security forces are incapable of handling a situation like this. They're like sitting ducks that's beeen lead to fight urban war without proper intelligence.

isaiah hill
5/24/2010

Kingston no much calmer, nutten, a pay gunshot mi a hear all now, havendale, mannings hill rd & red hills rd area

Andy Stewart
5/24/2010

If we do not use this opportunity to move against the garrisons and the dons then we failed and the Dons will win. Any failure from us to regain control of the Garrisons will empower the criminal elements of society. The Dons and Garrisons are only part of the problem, the other part is the politicians, we must force our political leaders to turn their backs on Garrison politics, we must hold them accountable, we must force them to put Jamaica first and party and power last. We the people are also part of the problem our attitude towards Jamaica as a society must change, we should be nation builder, less greedy and put Jamaica first, a country for the future.

Andy Stewart
5/24/2010

You take the blue pill and the story ends. You wake in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill and you stay in Wonderland and I show you how deep the rabbit-hole goes. Remember -- all I am offering is the truth, nothing more.
How I don’t want this to end, I don’t want the Gunmen to give up and go home with there weapons because we will have to fight them someday, better we take the fight to them now, so unleash the dogs of war.
So how do we want this to end, I want the elimination of all gun men from the streets, either by death or surrender. I want the people in the garrisons to turn against their political masters and I want the politicians to turn against the garrison. This is no longer about Dudus, it’s about changing the future of this country. Here we have a perfect opportunity to break from the pass and take the country in a new direction, we cannot stop now and we must move forward against all garrisons.

Kweli Simba
5/24/2010

Please don't sound like we are ready to capitulate to gangs and thugs..give your support to the police and encourage the leaders in the fight for the country. We need to remove the political lenses through which we view these incidents.This is not a PNP, JLP issue...there are enough blames to go around. For those of us who are savvy about garrisons, recognized that this would be the result of signing extradition papers. We have to stand together and rid the country of thugs masquerading as politicians. We have always solved our differences through the ballots. Let your voices be heard.

Anthony II
5/24/2010

I hope that we realize that the only time Caribbean islands make it on to the news on CNN and BBC and other international stations is when there are riots, earthquakes, and hurricanes. Despite our sometimes inflated sense of importance, the world only trains its cameras on us when things are going woefully bad. And how we have given them the chance to do so time after time!
.
I wish the day would come when we will take full responsibility for our actions and stop trying to assign blame to others for the collective mess in which we find ourselves. We all are responsible for what is currently happening. We knew of the poor quality of political leadership and the questionable liaisons, and we did nothing.
.
I doubt that I will get much done today, as I worry about my family members, friends, all decent law-abiding Jamaicans, and the innocent children of Tivoli Gardens and elsewhere.

Wa Tch
5/24/2010

No criminals nabbed?

Jay Brown
5/24/2010

The police and army seemed ill prepared for this eventuality.
http://johnww.wordpress.com/
The local cops should have been far more clinical, so far two cops have died and I have heard of no thugs being killed, whats going on.
It seems Dudus is prepared to give himself up to the US Mrashalls and go with them to the USA. (See link)
The cops should however not back down, you guys have 30 days to wipe the slate clean.
Use it!!

ESTEBAN AGOSTO REID
5/24/2010

Calmer, but for how long ???!!!

Jay Brown
5/24/2010

Two cops dead, we should by now have over a dozen thugs killed.
Mr Ellington why weren't your guys ready, we cannot back down now.
Even if Dudus gives himself up, the assault should continue, we MUST take back Jamaica from thugs.

josh davis
5/24/2010

It's called the Tariq Ali syndrome..

Nadine Johnson
5/24/2010

See now 2 police dead and not one thug and hearing Mr Fothe bout no need for state of emergency when they are in disscussion. All of you Politicians are aspiring ones we are watching you. Watch if we are not going to make you accountable. Just watch and See. From now on our Parliment will not be the same. May god be with our Police force and Army at this time.

Just Saying
5/24/2010

PM, it is time to go. While you are exiting the building, take Portia with you.

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Kingston 'much calmer' - police