17-year-old girl gunned down in Cambridge
CAMBRIDGE, St James — The St James police have revved up operations in this rural community following yesterday morning’s shooting death of a 17-year-old girl, who became the third gunshot victim in the community since Saturday night.
The police have identified yesterday’s murder victim as Roxanne Daley, 17, who lived along McLeod Road in Cambridge.
Reports from the police are that about 11:00 am, Daley was walking along McLeod Road when explosions were heard.
Upon the arrival of the police, who were summoned, the blood-soaked body of the 17-year-old girl was seen lying on the road.
According to Superintendent Gary McKenzie, head of operations in the St James Police Division, following the shooting of the teen, the police carried out an operation in the area and seized an illegal firearm. A man has since been taken into custody in connection with the seizure.
When the Jamaica Observer visited the community, gloomy-faced residents, including a Roxanne’s distraught mother, refused to comment on the incident.
Roxanne’s death came as Cambridge residents were still mourning Saturday night’s slaying of 44-year-old Ann-Marie Johnson and her daughter, Shantoy McKenzie, 24, both from the Mother Lane section of the community.
The two were slain by gunmen who invaded their home.
The police are theorising that members of the Retrieve Gang, who are domiciled on Mother Lane, are linked to Saturday night’s deadly attack.
The police say the Retrieve Gang is headed by Ryan Peterkin, also called “Ratty”, who was listed among the five most wanted men in the island by the Police High Command last week.
Meanwhile, Daley’s killing brought the total to five females murdered in St James since last Monday.
It started after 41-year-old nail technician Cleoapatra Fletcher and her customer, 52-year-old Dawnette Shettleworth, who were cut down in a hail of bullets at Fletcher’s business place in Catherine Hall, Montego Bay, last Monday night.
Daley’s death pushes the murder tally in St James to 283 since the start of the year, which is 50 more than the 233 recorded over the corresponding period last year.
