POLICE from the West Kingston Division yesterday maintained a heavy presence in Wilton Gardens, better known as “Rema”, after preventing about 30 gunmen, whom they said were from neighbouring Tivoli Gardens, from entering the community to attack residents on Wednesday night.

“It is relatively quiet right now, but we are watching it; we just have to mobilise and put men on the ground to prevent a further escalation and to engage them like yesterday (Wednesday) if it becomes necessary,” said Superintendent Delroy Hewitt, head of operations for the West Kingston Police Division.

The police, who held one of the alleged gunmen following a reported gunfight, said they prevented what could have been a ‘night of bloodshed’ in the inner-city community.

Hewitt told the Observer yesterday that while the police did not have the names of the men, they were “certain that they are members of the Tivoli Gardens Gang”.

“They went into Rema, came back down on Little King Street, went into the May Pen Cemetery and headed over to Tivoli Gardens,” said Hewitt. “It is reasonable that if they are not a part of a gang they could not go over there with the types of weapons they were seen with. We can, without any contradiction, say the men are part of the whole gang situation in the area.”

In the meantime, he said while the police were not sure of the reason behind the planned attack on Rema, they believe it could have been in reprisal for the death of Joseph Lee on March 2.

“It is difficult to know what spurred them because this area is a very volatile area and anything can spark off anything, but from what we have been picking up on the ground, it was retaliation for his death and probably some old scores based on what we hear,” Hewitt said.

According to the police superintendent, information suggested that men who had broken away from the Denham Town-based Shooters Hill Gang, together with men from a gang in Rema, were accused of the death of Lee, and so his cronies went in search of the individuals, but were forced to retreat when security personnel engaged them in shoot-out.

The man held by the police following the alleged gun battle Wednesday night was yesterday identified as Roger Oral Stewart, a resident of Denham Town.

Stewart has been charged with illegal possession of firearm, but cops said they were sure whether he was wanted in connection with any other crime.