THE police had a busy weekend as a total of 10 deaths, including that of a two year-old infant, were recorded by the Constabulary Communication Network (CCN) between Friday and yesterday, pushing the murder toll for the year to 494.

The police could not give the comparative murder figure for up to the third week of July 2002, but at the present rate murders for 2003 could be fewer than the 1,045 recorded in 2002.

The Corporate Area was over the weekend relatively quiet, recording only two shooting deaths compared to last week’s upsurge of murder and mayhem in eastern Kingston. But St James was rocked by the double murder of two unidentified men, Friday night, plus Saturday’s slaying of 27 year-old Alton Kerr who was allegedly involved in a love triangle.

In Clarendon, two men were killed in separate incidents on Saturday night. They have been identified as Ringo Thorpe, 29, a higgler of Sutton district, and 18 year-old Oral Walters of Rocky Point in that parish.

The CCN reported that at about 9:00 pm, Thorpe drove home and was approached by four men armed with handguns. The men reportedly opened fire, hitting him. He died on the spot. No motive for the slaying has yet been established by the Chapelton police who are investigating.

The incident in which Walters was slain took place at about 9:10 pm. He and a 16 year-old student of the Bustamante High School were reportedly involved in a dispute on the Rocky Point main road, during which a knife was used to stab Walters in the chest. He was taken to the Lionel Town Hospital where he was pronounced dead. The 16 year-old has been taken into custody for questioning by the Hayes police who are investigating.

Meanwhile, an unidentified man believed to be in his mid twenties was reportedly killed in a shoot-out with gunmen at Maryland, St Andrew on Saturday. The police says that at about 4:00 pm, the unidentified man and another male were at a restaurant at Maryland District when a white car drove up, two men alighted and entered the building. Shortly after, a running gun battle ensued between the four.

The unidentified man and his companion ran into nearby bushes and the other two sped off in the motorcar. Following a search of the area by the police, the body was found, the CCN reported.

On Friday, the body of a 50 year-old man was found in bushes in Albany District in St Mary. He has been identified as Alfred “Bunus” Donaldson, a carpenter of Esher district in the parish. The CCN reported that at about 7:00 am, Donaldson’s body was discovered by a farmer on his way to his field. Donaldson was last seen alive on Wednesday, July 16.

Also on Friday, an unidentified man believed to be in his mid-twenties was shot dead at the intersection of First Avenue and Robert Crescent in Vineyard Town, Kingston. The police reported that at around 11:45 am, residents reportedly heard explosions, and on the arrival of the police the man’s body was found with gunshot wounds. It was removed for post mortem and identification.

The police are also awaiting the results of a post mortem to determine the cause of death of a two year-old boy at Lynch Top in Negril.

The CCN reported that at about 10:00 am on Friday, little Zedene Daley was discovered missing by his mother who raised an alarm. At about 1:30 pm he was found with blood coming from his nostrils in a Toyota Camry motor car parked in the yard. He was taken to the Savanna-la-Mar Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

In Falmouth, the Trelawny capital, police are investigating the death of 42 year-old Fitzgerald Dixon, otherwise called “Plumpy”, of Bounty Hall in the parish. The police said that at about 2:30 am last Thursday, Dixon was reportedly surprised during his attempt to steal goats. During a confrontation with the householder, he was chopped and in a bid to escape he allegedly jumped into the Martha Brae River where his body was found after a search at about 11:45 Friday morning.