RELATIVES of 42-year-old Dwight Harrison — one of two men shot and killed in Priory, St Ann, on Saturday night — say they believe he was the target of the attack.

Harrison, a factory worker of River Head, Moneague, and 36-year-old Nicholas Hobson, labourer of Steer Town — both in St Ann — were shot dead by gunmen while three other people were left with gunshot sounds.

Reports are that around 8:25 pm Harrison, Hobson and three other men were among a group of people cooking at a shop when a car drove up and gunmen alighted and opened fire at them.

The police were alerted and all five men were taken to hospital where Harrison and Hobson were pronounced dead and the others admitted for treatment.

While condemning the incident, one of Harrison”s relatives, Michael Miller, said he believes the factory worker was targeted by the gunmen.

“”The community seh when him get the first shot and run and drop, and the others run gone, the gunman dem turn back and shot him again. People that were hiding hear when one of the gunman come over him an seh, ‘Yuh nuh dead?” and give him two more shots. Other persons get shot so why dem specific seh if him nuh dead? Dat mean seh dem want ‘im dead”,” reasoned Miller.

He added that he is saddened by the murder of Harrison, who was a loving and kind father of three.

“”Always jovial, and very kind. Very kind. If him come and see one likkle pickney a bawl say him money lost or something, he is the type of person to give back the person, make sure that child happy and nah guh get nuh beating if him mash up anything. Once he can afford to buy it back and give him, he will. He is very nice,” Miller added as he called on the police to conduct a thorough investigation so that justice may be served.

In the meantime, the police say they are following strong leads as they probe the double murder.

Acting senior superintendent attached to the St Ann Police Division David Whyte said the incident is believed to be linked to a long-running dispute.

According to Jamaica Observer sources, the feud started more than two years ago and had previously resulted in a double murder.

Meanwhile, Hobson’s mother told the Observer that she spoke to him shortly before he was killed Saturday night.

She said Hobson was a nice person who was not involved in any wrongdoing, and had returned from work shortly before he was killed.

“Maybe he was at the wrong place at the wrong time; maybe it wasn’t fi him time but [he was killed] because him was in the crowd,” said the grieving mother.