New Year's bloodshed in the West

BY HORACE HINES Observer staff reporter hinesh@jamaicaobserver.com

Monday, January 02, 2012

THERE was a bloody start to the new year in St James where two middle-aged men were yesterday shot dead execution-style in that parish's second double murder in as many days.

Fifty-nine-year-old vendor Ascor Peterkin and labourer Glendon Bryant, 52, both of Salt Spring in St James, were robbed before they were shot by armed thugs at about 7:00 am.

Police theorised that the hoodlums were in the process of robbing Bryant on Lammie Lane in the community when Peterkin, who was on his way home, unwittingly drove into the crime scene.

The thugs immediately ordered him out of the vehicle and told him to join Peterkin. Both men were robbed of an undetermined sum of cash and valuables before the bandits ordered them to lay on the ground. When they complied, the men were sprayed with bullets. The gunmen then ran from the scene.

The injured men were later taken to the Cornwall Regional Hospital where they were both pronounced dead, police said.

Yesterday, a tense calm blanketed the community as residents slowly gathered at the scene. The residents spoke in hushed tones as they watched investigators scour the area for clues.

Investigators have since said robbery may have been the main motive for the men's deaths.

The early morning incident has increased fears among residents who had already been jolted by Saturday's shooting spree in nearby Rose Heights, which left 20-year-old Michael Nesbeth, also called 'Warren', and Sharon Lawrence, 39, dead; and five other persons injured.

Yesterday, Elan Powell, head of the Criminal Investigation Branch (CIB), revealed that this incident may have been linked to an ongoing gang feud in the community.

"Information we have is that the target of the attack was Nesbeth and the other persons were really innocent bystanders who were shot as they tried to kill Nesbeth," said Powell.

Police reported that Nesbeth, who they said was a member of a gang in the community, and the others were sitting at a hairdressing parlour when a group of rival gang members, armed with assault rifles, pounced on them and opened fire.

All of the injured persons were taken to the Cornwall Regional Hospital where Nesbeth and Lawrence died while they were being treated. The other persons have been listed in stable condition. Their injuries are not considered life-threatening, police said.

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COMMENTS (13)

Kenneth Crooks
1/2/2012

May I extend my sincere condolencs to the family and friends of the deceased. These morons are nefarious and their crimes are egregious, these submans are a cancer to Jamaican society, therefore, they must be tracked down and brought to justice. The present administration must equip the security force with the means to eradicate all forms of crimes. In my opinion no foreign investors will seriously invest in Jamaica until crime and violence are brought under control.

Eagle Eyes
1/2/2012

Same ting fi linch, same ting fi dinna. The scaffold and the HANGMAN needs to be dusted off and re-introduced into CRIME FIGHTING.

Anthony Johnson
1/2/2012

I hope that this government doesn't continue their trend of "anything goes". @wanda woeman..could this white toyota corolla be the symbol of the continuing trend of "anything goes" Strange? You tell us.

Mark Chin
1/2/2012

The dunces are back, anarchy is back in full force, many will be upset but the truth will surface history will prove it

Chef Chef
1/2/2012

Well, if it is one thing the J.L.P. did right was hold down crime some what. I pray to God the P.N.P. does not allow Jamaica's crime Monster to take to the streets again. I know P.N.P. like crime this is the smoke!!

robert chang
1/2/2012

What does black Jamaican ancestors hundreds of years ago from ashanti tribe in africa has to do with these men being gun down in cold blood? hush with the kunta kente foolishness and face the problems we jamaicans are facing head on. We need to focus more on only us Jamaican then when we gain stability and security for Jamaicans then we can shift to something else.

Richie L
1/2/2012

I remember this time last year the new commissioner promised a reduction in crime, murder specifically. If I remember correctly, I think he mentioned a certain number. I know it is too early to finalized the numbers for the old year, but I hope this newspaper and others keep us informed.
.
We know the lair of these thugs, in Spanish Town, Mobay and the Corporate Area. Why are we not targeting them more intelligently? Where is the sustained pressure to dismantle these gangs?
.
Richie

Maude Cooper
1/2/2012

Lord have mercy. Sometimes it helped if the person in the car tried to speed away even shots fired, for once you are them bloodsuckers will have no pity..........Kill, steal, beg, blame the government . I hope they are caught.

Jay Brown
1/2/2012

I certainly hope this is not a return to the violence which wreaked havoc on that area in the past. The cops must remain resolute and hunt down these dogs and bring them to justice

Ricardo Hall
1/2/2012

I am asking the new government to take office soon as the country need to settle down again. We have a lot of pressing issue to deal with as a country so no time to waste. Please continue the work that was started by the JLP and improve upon t where possible. Be honest to the people and hold all member of parliament accountable. Good governance must be the order of the day from now on. if not the second one term government will be on the cards. And please give Mr Christie more power to work.

Village Voice
1/2/2012

Our new government is going to have to take a firm stand on fighting crime. We pay thousands of soldiers to train and march. We need to deploy them more often in high crime areas. Murder is the most painful sore in today's Jamaica. Let foreign watchdog organizations back off and leave us to fight crime with force. All they want is for us to ignore it so they can tell their citizens to avoid Jamaica.

Nicolas Henry
1/2/2012

I hope this isn't a sign of what next to come. I hope the people don't interpret change a govt as change of law and order, and rules and priciples, because many of the voters viewd the JLP as standing in the way of their "Hustle" or "boxing food outa dem mouth". Jamaicans are from the Ashanti tribe in Africa, if anyone think they're easily ruled without extreme measure, keep dreaming and hoping for better.

wanda woeman
1/2/2012

I see that the white Corolla motorcar has resurfaced at these murders. Strange? I don't think so.

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New Year's bloodshed in the West