ST ANDREW, Jamaica — Residents in the Jungle 12 community of August Town, St Andrew were today restive after a team from the Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM) visited the area to investigate an early morning gun attack.

The attack left 35-year-old David Stewart, a correctional officer at the Tower Street Adult Correctional Centre, dead.

“See da community right now, we nuh need INDECOM.. INDECOM a buil’ a bagga gunman inna Jamaica enuh,” said one resident.

Another chimed in saying: “We nuh inna di INDECOM business, straight up!”

A member from INDECOM, who was in earshot of the remarks, explained that it is within the purview of his organisation to respond to an incident once a firearm has been discharged by a member of the security forces.

“We are always here to investigate impartially,” the official added.

About 8:25 am today, Stewart was shot dead by gunmen who were in the area firing high-powered weapons.

After that shooting subsided, two policemen who were trying to preserve the crime scene were also allegedly attacked, resulting in a shoot-out. One of the policemen was injured in the incident. The two were forced to retreat and the gunmen escaped.

Councillor for the Papine Division Venesha Phillips, who was also on the scene, said what residents witnessed this morning was as an assault on the police and on the community.

“Understand that while we have no difficulty with INDECOM, we want to make sure that citizens feel safe. And anything that looks like the police will be placed in a situation where they are going to pull back, for whatever reason, then the citizens are not going to have it,” expressed Phillips.

She added that community members want the police with clear heads and minds so that they can deal with the situation the “best way possible”.

“This community is severely broken and the police must be able to take charge of the ground. So nothing that will get in the way of that will be tolerated,” Phillips stated.

Moya Hinds