WHEN gunmen attacked businessman Lloyd Chambers, his wife hoped he would have survived. But that was not to be.

He died immediately and his licensed firearm, a Glock 17 pistol, was taken.

“My heart is broken,” she told the Jamaica Observer North & East as she stood by the spot where her husband took his last breath — crime scene personnel from the Jamaica Constabulary Force were processing the area.

The incident shocked the usually quiet community of Windsor Castle in Portland.

“He was an avid business person and operated in the community — A lot of people depend on him. He employed at least 10 people and several also depended on him for the goods and services he provided,” the widow said.

Chambers had returned home from his business place shortly after 10 o’clock, handed his wife a bag, and went to close his gate when he was attacked.

“It really hit me hard because our two daughters were murdered in New York in 2003, and it was on a Monday, just like yesterday (last Monday), and they were killed by gunmen. So everything just came right back because of yesterday,” she shared with North & East.

“I’m upset at the level of violence in the society and how it is that people’s lives appear not to be valued. People will just come and kill you,” she added.

The police continue investigations into Chambers’ murder, which, up to that time, was the fifth for the parish since the start of the year.

His body was taken to Annotto Bay Hospital in St Mary.

The widow told Observer North & East that the two have been together for 45 years, married for 37.

“He was so kind, so selfless. I don’t know, it is not easy. It has been so hard on me; I’ve been having a rough time between last night and now, but I am trying to be strong because my mother-in-law is 90 years old and I have to take care of her. My mother is 87 years old, so I have to take care of her as well, so I cannot afford to break down — I have to be here for them,” the 66-year-old woman said.

Chambers was a retired regional lands officer at the National Land Agency, having spent 40 years in the profession.

“People need to respect life and people need to know that there are going to be consequences; and it might not happen right now, but it will come… I always envisioned the two of us being killed together because this is Jamaica. I never thought that I would see this van (scene of crime) at my gate.

“I also want to encourage people to do things together as a family, because you don’t know when it is that one is going to go,” she said.