THE fragile peace that had reigned in the Mountain View Avenue area of Kingston for almost a year was shattered Tuesday morning when two men were slaughtered in the community.

The dead men, who were killed at 72 Mountain View Avenue, have been identified as:

. Junior Rowe, 20, and

. Michael Tyrell, 30, who is the cousin of slain Shocking Vibes executive Paul Tyrell who was gunned down in February of this year.

Police say they were called to the scene at about 8:00 am. The bodies of Rowe and Tyrell were found in two tenement yards in the area.

Police investigators still have few details but say they believe the men were killed because of a robbery which went awry in Black River, St Elizabeth, on Monday. Four men, including a policeman, were arrested and two guns – a loaded M16 rifle and a Taurus pistol – were seized in connection with that robbery.

A source told the Observer that on Monday night there was a heated argument between members of a gang based in the 72 Mountain View Avenue area over the loss of the weapons.

The gang, police say, is led by a man known as “Needleman”.

An officer at the death scene yesterday linked the seizure of the M16 with the double murder at Mountain View.

“It seems they lost their lives because the owners wanted their gun back,” the cops said.

Tyrell’s mother Lilieth Thompson, was devastated by her son’s demise and cried bitterly.

“Me don’t have no more Mikey,” Thompson wailed, “Me beg him to leave around here”.

The Vineyard Town police are investigating.