St Elizabeth residents told to avoid vigilantism

Garfield Myers

Thursday, February 09, 2012

SANTA CRUZ, St Elizabeth - He understands the frustration and anger citizens experience as a result of crime.

But Deputy Superintendent of Police in charge of operations in St Elizabeth, Lanford Salmon is reminding everyone that they should not attempt to dispense their own justice when criminals are cornered.

"People must remember that when they catch alleged criminals they should hand them over to the police," Salmon told the Observer West recently.

He was responding to the mob killing of a man alleged to have attempted to rob church goers and the injuring of his brother in Brighton, just outside Santa Cruz on Sunday January 29.

Police reports are that a group of residents were on their way to church when four men attempted to rob them at gun point. An alarm was raised and others in the community ran to the assistance of the church goers.

Residents say shots were fired by the alleged criminals two of whom were eventually cornered by the angry residents. One, identified by police as a 30 year -old farmer, Canute Mullings, was chopped to death. His brother, whose name has been withheld by the police was chopped and injured. He is now in police custody after recovering from his injuries in hospital. Police say he is to go before an identification parade.

A third man, Andre Walker, also called 'Dog Paw' believed by police to be leader of the gang has since handed himself over to the authorities, accompanied by relatives. He too is awaiting an ID parade, police say.

A fourth man remains on the run.

Salmon said intelligence suggested the four were part of a group of "migrant criminals" who had in recent times committed a number of robberies in the Santa Cruz area.

Salmon said "too many guns in idle hands" was a source of great concern for the police in St Elizabeth. Only recently, gang violence in the normally quiet village of Maggoty in north west St Elizabeth had led to the shooting and injuring of a school principal. The educator who was shot in the leg was apparently caught in a cross fire between gang members.

And last week, Devon Wilson, a native of Big Woods in Westmoreland was shot and killed in Kilmarnock, north west St Elizabeth. His travelling companion identified as David Thelwell was shot and injured and is recuperating in hospital. Police are searching for Donovan Daley also called 'Gravel' whom they believe can assist in their investigations.