MONTEGO BAY, St James — The police have described a man whose death sparked a protest Thursday morning on Johns Road, near Retirement Dump in the parish, as a gang leader who groomed some of the parish’s deadliest criminals. But relatives and neighbours of 32-year-old Akeem “Wrizla” Bowen have accused cops of killing him in cold blood.

They put his time of death near midnight on Wednesday, and from about 6:00 am Thursday the protesting residents used scrap metal and debris from the dump to litter the unpaved road that runs through their community.

A contingent of cops was at the scene speaking with residents shortly after 10:00 am, but Councillor Michael Troupe (People’s National Party, Granville Division) expressed concern that there had been no official word on what happened to Bowen, a father of four.

“We are here protesting for persons to come and hear our voice. Indecom has not been here as yet. Nobody came because they are in the ghetto,” Troupe told the Jamaica Observer.

Bowen’s sister, who declined to provide her name, said he was at home when the police came to check if he was obeying his curfew, as stipulated by the court in relation to a gun charge. She said at Bowen’s request her mother provided his “report book”, the police checked it and left.

“By mi mother go in back and the police drive off, the next jeep, a black jeep, come up. [Bowen] come a di window and him say, ‘Bossy, mi deh ya man.’ Dem run dung inna di yard same way. No time after dat wi hear di shot dem. When wi run out, a di jeep wi see deh go dung the road,” she said.

A video provided by residents showed what appeared to be police carrying a body from the direction of Bowen’s home towards the road.

When contacted by the Observer, commanding officer for St James, Superintendent Eron Samuels, said Bowen had “featured in recent murders and shootings”.

According to the police, Bowen is the leader for the Dump gang which is heavily involved in lottery scamming and is known to have an arsenal of prohibited weapons under his control.

Among St James’s deadly criminals he is said to have groomed is Nester “Zaddo” Galimore who was 25 years old when he was cut down alongside two of his cronies in June 2023 during a confrontation with the police.

Galimore had the reputation of being one of the most ruthless killers in St James.

The police have described his mentor, Bowen, and his cronies as “guns for hire”.

“This business takes them across the border to neighbouring parishes. They have also been carrying out shooting for gangs within St James, such as Tucker Street gang, Big Yard gang, and the Canterbury West Side Crocs,” said the police.

According to the police, Wrizla played “a pivotal role in the daily running of the [Retirement] dump, so he is both hated and loved within the space.”