17-year-old shot dead in Westmoreland
WESTMORELAND, Jamaica — A 17-year-old boy was shot dead in a yard on Ricketts Avenue, in Savanna-La-Mar, Westmoreland on Thursday morning.
The deceased has been identified as Jayre Francis, otherwise called ‘Jay’, of a Ricketts Street address.
Ricketts Avenue is a part of the Zone of Special Operations in Savanna-La-Mar.
In January of this year, Prime Minister Andrew Holness declared a Zone of Special Operations in Savanna-la-Mar South to cover the communities of Russia, Dalling Street and Dexter Street.
READ: PM declares ZOSO in Westmoreland
In his declaration, Holness stated that “…these areas have been captured by gangs and are currently in the grips of terror”.
A resident, who did not want to be identified, told OBSERVER ONLINE that she was awoken by the sounds of gunshots minutes after 3:00 am and later heard that a man died in the community.
The yard the deceased was found in, the resident said, is often used by persons as a “shortcut” to enter another community.
Reports from the police are that residents heard explosions at about 3:00 am and Francis’ body was later found at 5:20 am with multiple gunshot wounds to his head and body. He also had lacerations to his neck.
Francis was taken to the Savanna-La-Mar Public General Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
