Cops to question detainees about six murders
TWO people have been detained for questioning in connection with six murders in the community of Ackee Walk, St Andrew, recently.
The two were among more than 20 people, including women, detained yesterday in a Joint Force operation that came on the heels of gun violence in the area.
Acting Assistant Commissioner of Police Gary Griffiths, who is in charge of Police Area Five, told the Jamaica Observer that the inner-city community has recorded six murders over the last six months, including that of a university student who was shot while purchasing a cup of soup.
The police officer said the student’s killing resulted from an ongoing feud between thugs from the Moylnes Road area and Donmair, also known as Common, which is one of the most feared communities off Red Hills Road in St Andrew.
“…Because of the flare-up [in violence], we went in the area conducting a periodic operation. This morning [yesterday] we had a major joint military operation. We went in early this morning and we carried out some operations in search of guns and wanted men. During the operation, we picked up some suspects for various cases that are under police investigation,” Griffiths said.
“When you [are] looking at a division that has accounted for 56 murders, and that small space has accounted for six of them since the start of the year, it must be an area of concern. And so we have been conducting a number of operations,” he continued.
Griffiths pointed out that the tit for tat between the opposing residents began after the shooting death of a man who had gone to the rival community to visit his girlfriend.
In addition to yesterday’s detention of residents, Griffiths said two Kalashnikov rifles were found during an operation in the area four weeks ago. No one was arrested in connection with that seizure.
When the Observer visited the community yesterday morning, some of the residents who were detained sat in the backs of vehicles under the watchful eyes of police and soldiers, before they were carted off to the Constant Spring Police Station.
— Racquel Porter
