RHODES... was awaiting a cab when he was shot dead

MONTEGO BAY, St James - Forty year-old District Constable Luke Rhodes, who was shot dead by gunmen on St James Street in the parish on Tuesday night, had been receiving death threats, according a reliable Observer source.

Rhodes had just ended his shift at the Mount Salem Police Station and was awaiting a cab in the busy city hub when he was cut down in a hail of bullets by armed men who alighted from a motor car. According to the CCN liaison officer, the gunmen then made off with Rhodes' service revolver.
A female bystander was also shot and injured during the incident.

Lena Rhodes, a sister of the slain cop, reportedly had to be treated at hospital after learning of her brother's murder. A family member who answered Lena's cellular phone yesterday said that Lena was not in a position to speak to the media.

"We are trying to deal with it, just. getting some rest," was the terse response.

Rhodes' death has pushed to four, the number of cops murdered this year.

His murder comes sharply on the heels of that of Special Corporal Charles Gordon, who was shot in downtown Kingston on January 5, and died in hospital last week.

The other two cops murdered this year were Sergeant Huan Genus, of the Clarks Town Police Station, and Constable Ralston Ebanks from the May Pen Police Station. They were cut down by gunmen on January 2 in separate incidents.

Yesterday, the Observer learnt that Rhodes, who lived in the tough Salt Spring community, had been receiving death threats. But Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of Area One Clifford Blake could not confirm this claim.

"We have heard the same thing, but the investigators are out there and I have not received any feedback from them this morning [yesterday], so I would not want to speculate on that," ACP Blake said. "I would want to be briefed by them before I could really comment on that."

Meanwhile, he expressed sorrow at the vicious murder of his colleague.

"I am saddened by the brutal manner in which our colleague was taken, and particularly those of us in Area One who have worked with him. Our resolve must be to get to these criminals and bring them to justice," Blake said.

Just over a month ago, heavily armed gunmen shot three cops in a surprise attack on a police patrol before dawn in Salt Spring.

Two weeks later, two men - one of whom allegedly transported the three injured policemen to hospital after the attack - were brutally gunned down in Buck Toe Lane in Salt Spring.

Yesterday, Clive Mullings, the parliamentary representative for West Central St James, expressed outrage at the murder of the district constable and called on any member of the public who witnessed the killing to support the police with information.

Rhodes' death brings to 20, the number of murders recorded in St James since the start of this year.

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