THERE is emerging a new level of venom in violent crimes, even when the victims are children. Sasha-Kaye Brown’s heart-wrenching fiery death watched helplessly by neighbours who were stopped at gunpoint from going to the 10-year-old’s rescue, and before her, the murder of a three-month-old baby – have put a scary face on the depths to which criminals are prepared to go, and their disregard for humanity.

Last week, there were reports that Jamaica had moved into pole position as murder capital of the world, surpassing South Africa and Colombia.

Homicides continue to spiral towards a new record, but there are known areas of confrontations – the battle zones – where blood is either often spilled, such as Maxfield Avenue, or where the police and the community have an uneasy relationship, such as Tivoli Gardens.

These are the areas seen as flash points – calm today but likely tomorrow to erupt into demonstrations over police shootings, to be at the centre of gang killings, reprisal executions, abductions of teenage girls, rapes, robberies and extortions.

The eruptions are often followed by fleeing families hoping to escape death or searching for a better life free from the dictates of gunmen.

These are areas that often require battalions of security forces to maintain order, to take in the criminals and the guns.

Mostly, these communities are to be found in the inner cities of Kingston, but, increasingly, Spanish Town and its environs have began taking on the same reputation.

Murders so far this year, islandwide, has topped 1,280, based on a tally of the daily reports supplied by the police.

St Catherine

Spanish Town/Tawes Pen/Ellerslie Pen

Last week an attempt at a truce between warring factions in Spanish Town turned ugly when a car transporting Member of Parliament Olivia ‘Babsy’ Grange was shot up.

Fighting for control of the old capital, the One Order gang with connections to the JLP and Klansman gang with PNP sympathisers, have been having a turf war in the town for more than two years.

With Tawes Pen at the western end as the hub of the One Order gang’s operations, and Bus Stop and its environs the haunt of Klansman at the other end, Spanish Town proper has become a battlefield.

Earlier in the year, gunmen from Tawes Pen and Ellerslie Pen clashed, leaving at least three dead and scores wounded. The flare up was blamed on differences over who should succeed One Order gang leader Oliver ‘Bubba’ Smith.

Smith was killed in 2004.

The flood of killings in Spanish Town cannot however be attributed solely to ‘turf war’.

Two weeks ago, a soldier and businessman were slain and last Tuesday a police sergeant was trailed and executed, becoming the latest murder statistic in the town.

The police’s St Catherine North division which includes Spanish Town has reported 187 murders so far this year. Last years figures show 195 murders, 149 of which were in Spanish Town.

Donovan ‘Bulbie’ Bennett – the alleged leader of the Klansman gang – is wanted by the police for murder, kidnapping and extortion.

Andrew ‘Bun Man’ Hope is now reputed to be the leader of the One Order gang. Police say he is not on their wanted list.

Homestead

A community located off the Old Harbour Road, just outside of Spanish Town, which has seen at least three killings over the last two months.

Homestead, which lies in the Central St Catherine constituency represented by Grange, and Tawes Pen are considered strong JLP bastions.St Andrew

August Town

Now experiencing a lull in violent activity, August Town exploded earlier this year in what was described as a feud between men from Judgment Yard and others from Jungle 12.

In March the police uncovered 13 high powered guns at Judgment Yard, the most guns founds in any one place at any one time, the police said at the time.

Red Hills Road

The hot spot along Red Hills Road stretches from Black Ants Lane to the north to 100 Lane to the south. Factions from Park Lane – a JLP enclave – have been at odds, intermittently, with the PNP-affiliated 100 Lane gang over a protracted period.

In August, Park Lane residents blocked Red Hills Road in protest over the shooting death of one of their own. The 100 Lane gunmen were blamed for the killing. Earlier in the month a 100 Lane youth was gunned down and a four year old child injured.

In 2002, a flare up resulted in killing of seven people and the burning of a housing block at 100 Lane. In retaliation four persons from Park Lane were killed by gunmen said to be from 100 Lane.

Alleged Red Hills Road area leader Cleveland ‘Cassie’ Downer is facing charges in court for illegal possession of firearm and ammunition and shooting with intent. He is out on bail to reappear in court November 23.

Kingston

Tivoli Gardens

Recently described as the “mother of all garrisons” by Rear Admiral Hardley Lewin Chief of Staff of the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF), Tivoli Gardens was developed in the mid-1960s and has been the centre of power for the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) in the West Kingston constituency. The party has never lost an election in that constituency.

Tivoli has been in the spotlight since three policemen were killed on a bloody night in May this year, allegedly by gunmen from the community.

Last week four persons were shot during a raid by the security forces on the community in search of the men said wanted for the murder of the policemen.

Area leader Lloyd ‘Dudus’ Coke, in a separate raid on his uptown home, was arrested and charged for possession of ganja on the day of the last raid.

Arnett Gardens

A People’s National Party stronghold, Arnett Gardens came into existence in the early 1970s.

There has been an upsurge of infighting in the community over what is described as a power struggle. A splintering of factions from sections such as Angola, Havana and Zimbabwe has seen a continuation of shootings over the past two months leaving numerous people injured.

Two weeks ago, a 13-year-old Charlie Smith High schoolgirl was shot and killed while another 13-year-old, a student of Trench Town High School was dragged away and raped in the community.

This led to a three-day lock down of the two schools.

The community leader is George Phang.

Maxfield Avenue

The troubled spots in the Maxfield Avenue area now centres around Barnes Road, Raphael Road and environs.

The community straddling Portia Simpson’s South West St Andrew constituency and Dr Omar Davies’ South St Andrew has seen the highest number of killings in the capital over recent weeks.

At least nine residents have been killed including the Brown family who were executed with a fire-bomb, while one policeman has been shot and injured in the area, leading to a sustained presence by the security forces in the troubled community.

Police reports have not given a definite reason for the escalation of killings, but said it might be linked to feuding gangs operating on Ramsay Road and Sunlight Street. Police figures have the St Andrew South division with the highest level of murders for the year at 231, so far.

Last year, the division had 193 homicides.

Dunkirk

Located in eastern Kingston, the community, also known as McIntyre Villa, is a PNP stronghold.

The recent upsurges are attributed to infighting for the control of turf.

Over the past two months, at least six people have been reported killed in the community and close by on York Street in Franklyn Town, 34 people were left homeless after a firebombing.

Mountain View

In one bloody week, up to September 26, three adults and two infants, including a three month old baby, were murdered in the Jacques Road area of the community.

Some six people have been reported killed in violent outbreaks over a three month period, in conflicts reported to be between factions from the top section of Jacques Road and the bottom section.

However, the vacated buildings along Mountain View Avenue between Saunders Ave and Jacques Road tell a story of a wider conflict. Political affiliation, it is reported, is at the root of the protracted violence.

Thugs from Saunders Avenue and Jarrett Lane are sympathetic to the PNP while Jacques Road further south is traditionally a JLP stronghold.

Southside

In the southern section of the city many peace initiatives have been brokered between factions in the area but the tension continues.

Last week, well-known area leader and JLP activist 54-year-old Franklyn ‘Chubby Dread’ Allen was killed in New Kingston in what is reported as an ongoing feud in the area over leadership. Several previous attempts had been made on Allen’s life inside his community.

Central Kingston communities of Tel Aviv, Southside, Spoilers and Rae Town have, over the years, been at odds at one time or another.