MANDEVILLE, Manchester — The 50-year-old licensed firearm holder accused of killing two women and wounding three others, including a child, on Sunday at a candlelight vigil here is to be interviewed by detectives later this week, with criminal charges looming against him.

A senior police source told the Jamaica Observer that the case is now being investigated by the Area Three Major Investigations Division (MID).

“He remains in custody and the MID has taken over the case, given that it is a double murder. He is to be questioned later this week with a view of preferring charges,” the source said on Monday.

In the incident five people were shot during a dispute at a candlelight vigil stemming from a motor vehicle collision on Nashville Road off Levy Lane in Mandeville.

Police and relatives named the deceased as 35-year-old Aldeen Dixon, a resident of Coleyville district in north-east Manchester, and 42-year-old Stacy Ann Mulgrave, a resident of Barnstable district, near Mandeville.

Police said the incident occurred near midnight after the licensed firearm holder parked his car in an open lot next to his house. Police said the lot separates the man’s house from the house where the candlelight vigil was being held.

The man reportedly saw his car being hit by another vehicle, leading to an argument and confrontation. It is further alleged that the firearm holder opened fire. When the smoke cleared, five people were found shot.

The gunshot victims were taken to hospital where the two women succumbed and two others admitted for treatment. A 12-year-old boy, who was reportedly injured during the shooting, was treated and released from hospital. The licensed firearm holder reportedly turned himself in at Mandeville Police Station.

A woman who identified himself only as Kerry-Ann recalled her last conversation with one of the victims. She said they had discussed their intention to attend the vigil hours before the deadly incident.

“I said, ‘Yeah man, me soon forward’ and she went away and now this, just because she stood up to defend her cousin. Me seh ‘Yow jah jah, star’. Man a go put a bullet through her fi wah? A man can look pon four women and put a bullet through them, really? And a little baby boy, over wah? Because a man just simply scrape your vehicle; it nuh lick or nutten. A back him a back up and him just scrape him vehicle, because we couldn’t even see weh the scrape deh and that you draw bullet and shoot four people plus a baby, five persons, fah?” the woman said.

She explained further that her spouse had pleaded with the accused man to resolve the issue.

“Mi husband come out of the car and a cry literally like how you see me deh yah so a cry and go down pon him knee and take out him wallet, him papers, him licence, everything and give the man and seh ‘Sir, please me a beg you, do, mek we work it out’. Him nuh wan tek nuh talk,” the woman claimed.

She said Mulgrave’s children are asking about the whereabouts of their mom.

“See Stacy a mek the news. Weh me a go tell her four-year-old and her five-year-old babies seh? Dem wake up inna me hand this morning (Sunday) and seh ‘Aunty Kerry-Ann, where Mommy is?’ Me couldn’t even answer, me just break down into tears. The father for the babies, him don’t even know him head from him foot right now,” the woman said.

“Me can’t believe me go down a dead house go see the girl lay down lifeless. Me couldn’t believe a Stacy dead for true. Me did feel seh is a prank. A cyaa reality this. Her mother inna hospital a battle fi life, her sister a battle fi life same way. Over what? What is the explanation for it? What can that man explain seh why him do that? You as a licensed firearm holder, you don’t even let go a shot in the air, you put it inna human flesh,” the woman added.

Member of Parliament for Manchester Central Rhoda Crawford appealed to relatives of the victims to allow the police to complete the investigation into the incident.

“I am appealing for calm and especially I have spoken to some of the young men in the family and I have been asking them please to avoid retaliation. The police are fully aware of what has happened. They are taking statements and I know that they will do everything in their legal powers to bring the perpetrator to justice, so I am just making a special appeal to family and very close friends. Please do not retaliate. Allow the law enforcement officers to handle the situation,” she said.