HAMPTON, St James — The St James police have released the names of two suspects in Sunday night’s murder of 31-year-old Tayon Colomathi —son of well known St James politician, Donald Colomathi — who was shot and killed here following a meeting chaired by his father.

The two, both of St James addresses, are Kenardo Edwards, also called ‘Joe’, of Hampton; and Damion Buddington, also known as ‘Speedball’ of Granville.  

“These are persons of interest who we believe can assist us in our investigations and we are asking them to turn themselves in. We are also appealing to persons who might know their whereabouts to contact Kingfish at 811, Crime Stop, 119 or the Freeport Police,” head of the St James CIB, DSP Derrick Champagnie appealed.

Champagnie said investigations have revealed that Sunday night’s shooting was linked to an ongoing gang feud.

“It is a gang related reprisal,” Champagnie told the Observer.

The young Colomathi, formerly of a West Gates Hills, St James address accompanied by two friends, reportedly drove his car in which he transported his father to a People’s National Party  “cluster” meeting convened at a school in the rustic Hampton community Sunday evening.

The distressed father who was the campaign manager for Cedric Stewart, the PNP’s candidate for the East Central St James constituency in the December 29 elections, recounted that upon reaching the school gate shortly after the meeting was adjourned, a barrage of gunshots were heard.

The frightened father and his son’s two friends scampered into the car. One of the men took the wheels and sped away from the scene, oblivious that the young Colomathi was hurt.

“I heard a barrage of gunshots. We fled the scene initially [knowing] that Tayon was not there  and we did not see him. But since there were gunshots we were of the view that everybody had gone for cover,” Colomathi, who served as the PNP councillor for the Spring Mount Division for 21 consecutive years told the Observer yesterday.

Upon the arrival of the police, the bullet-riddled body of young Colomathi was discovered, lying in a pool of blood.

“It was only when we called the police in the area and we returned to the location we recognised that he (Tayon) was the person who got shot and it was obvious then that he was already dead,” the grieving father noted.

Sunday night’s murder brings to 11, the number of murders recorded by the St James Police Division since the start of the year.