Frightening!

Clarendon man relates ordeal after gunmen fire-bomb his house

BY OSHANE TOBIAS Observer correspondent

Saturday, August 21, 2010

CHAPELTON, Clarendon — A man, who could only hide as gunmen invaded and fire-bombed his house in Turners, Clarendon early yesterday morning, is today heaping praise on the May Pen police for their quick response and for cutting down two of the hoodlums, while capturing two others.

"The police dem work good, give thanks fi dem quick response because dem save a life," said the man, who asked not to be named.

He said at about minutes after midnight he heard an elderly man, who lived in a section of the house, cry out for help and upon opening his window he saw the gunmen, whom he initially mistook for police officers.

"Just as I was about to fall asleep I heard the old man bawl out for help and when I looked through the window I saw some men with long rifles, but I didn't see any [police] vest," said the man. "So, me say a nuh police dem, and me jus draw back me window."

His sister, who also lives at the house, was not there at the time.

The gunmen, he said, told the old man to go under his bed and assured him that they were not going to shoot him. After that, they went to the front of the house and kicked in the front door.

"Dem come [in] and dig up the front room and the middle room, but a God mek dem nuh come around the back because we under the bed and we nah mek nuh sound," the man related, explaining that his nephew was in the house with him.

He said the gunmen then set the house ablaze, but he and his nephew remained under the bed and avoided making a sound.

"So they went outside and started firing shots, but we didn't come out. When the smoke a come down all me do is just cover me nose and get flat," he said, adding that he and his nephew remained under the bed until they were certain that the gunmen had left.

"A when me hear dem a lick shot go up the road me just get up and bawl out fi murder... and nobody nah respond, so me mash out the window and a so me escape," he said.

The men then reportedly sped away in a waiting motor car, but were later intercepted by the May Pen police in the community of Pennants where two of them were killed during what the police said was a shoot-out.

Another of the gunmen, who was shot in the reported firefight, is under police guard in hospital. A fourth man was taken into custody.

Residents, who gathered on the scene were tight-lipped for the most part, but also hailed the quick response of the police.

They believe the incident may have been linked to the shooting death of a man in the community on Wednesday, but Superintendent Dathon Henry, who is in charge of Clarendon, said while he's aware of both incidents, he could not say if they are related.

Henry also said three firearms were recovered in the operation.

Asked if he has any idea why his house was targeted, the man said: "I don't know, probably is the wrong house because me nuh do nobody anything."

He, however, believes that persons from within the community might know about the incident.

cap

The house which gunmen fire-bombed in Turners, Clarendon early yesterday morning. (Photo: Oshane Tobias)

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COMMENTS (18)

owen hunter
8/21/2010

I love what the police dem did. A so dem fi kill all them dirty thugs wen dem a comit dem crimes. In english, I love what the police did, these dirty thugs must be put under ground when they comits these kind of crimes. Good Job!!!

alex Ford
8/21/2010

It is good to know the cops caught up with the hoodlums, and even happier 2 of them is dead. Whenever these gansters reach JFJ and the other groups who are against killing these gunmen door step, their perspective of bringing in these guys to eat tax payers money will change. No law should take no course; you must drive fear in these guys! THANKS BE TO GOD FOR THE PERSONS OF THIS HOUSE TO ESCAPE

Carlos Bryson
8/21/2010

These incidents are far too common in Jamaica. It is obvious we must change our approach to security and how we deal with them. Serious consideration must be given to community policing to include the return of the district constable system. Plus, local autonomy where people now have a chence to govern and protect their locality including giving law abiding citizens the right to bear arms after some training.

m gordon
8/21/2010

i like this kind of justice, its the same one mr. adams was talking about, another job well done by the police

8/21/2010

Great work by the cops.
Rapid response will always make a big difference.

Brad Kerr
8/21/2010

Where is the crime Plan. Or is it toothless, Jamaicans cant be expected to continue live in these type of situations , where criminals light fire to their homes and spray the houses with bullets to prevent an escape. This government said came to power saying they will and can do something different yet to no avail. I think we need fresh elections, but we also need to strengthen the laws to help the police. We need to stop the revolving door of in an out by the criminals and the justice system.

Nejeeper KNG
8/21/2010

Now what’s next for the two who weren’t killed? This is attempted murder; prosecution should be fast and severe. Now are we going to put them in prison and let the victims (tax payers) pay to house and feed them? The government should build agricultural prisons and let these killers farm the land 6 days a week, Sunday off for church. Let them rebuild the land they are trying to destroy, utilizing high technology to prevent escapes. They are not going to stop so take it to them hard. God Help Us.

Maude Cooper
8/21/2010

Thank God the police got two along with 3 firearms now in the hands of the police. Lets see who is going to come out and say they were innocent. Wonder if that was Mr.Mark Shields’s house if he would remember to sympathize with those perpetrators and offer them ice-cream?

nima allen
8/21/2010

These gunmen is worst than roach and mosquitoes.
They need to be sprayed and killed every minute.

key martin
8/21/2010

Terrorists..... root them out ...

Island Boi
8/21/2010

So what happen to the old man they(the gunmen) told to go under his bed?

jody hyde
8/21/2010

Here we go again! Jamaica forJustice, do you see the kind of demons you are advocating for.?

Nicolas Henry
8/21/2010

Inspite of his narrow escape from death, a good investigator should still treat the occupants of that house as persons of interest. Why were they attacked? Is someone involved in a gang? They should at least face some interrogation, because rural communities are relatively safe.

Nicolas Henry
8/21/2010

What an experience. He's lucky he lived to talk about it. I hope JFJ & FAST reads this man account of the vicious nature of the marauding gunmen that the police are tyring to police. Praises to GOD, then the police for saving your life man. I bet the 3 gunmen that were killed will not terrorize the people anymore. The one that was caught should be "water board" to gain much needed intelligence. I support to police 100% in their attempts to apprehend or neutralize the terrorist.

pancho morris
8/21/2010

Thank goodness for the police. They are the first line of defense against criminals. What are these criminals thinking? Putting the old man under the bed then setting the house ablaze would not kill him? If the report is correct, thanks JCF. Job well done.

Chuck Emanuel
8/21/2010

All of these do-gooders (Talk-show hosts, JFJ, FAST, some in civil society etc ) who has been deriding the police about "alleged shootouts" may want to look into volunteering themselves as embedded eye-witnesses and go along on these missions with the Police so that their concerns may be alleviated.
Maybe the police can allow these do-gooders to challenge these fleeing terrorist gun-men and offer them some "social intervention" , since this is their solution to crime. (government contracts ).

oliver wallace
8/21/2010

Let us all commend the police for their quick and courageous response.however, it is imperative that the citizens of these communities start assisting the efforts of the lawmen by supplying the police with information.only then will they be able to reclaim their communities

mark jones
8/21/2010

Why the police never just do a full sweep and done......anyway kudos to them i detect that their response to citizens calls for help is alot more swift these dayz

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