ST CATHERINE, Jamaica – A taxi operator is dead and dozens of people are homeless following a gun and arson attack in Gregory Park, St Catherine on Saturday morning.

The deceased has been identified as 28-year-old Raneel Haughton, otherwise called ‘Rum Punch’, of a Walkers Avenue address in the community.

Information reaching OBSERVER ONLINE is that about 3:50 am, Haughton and a friend were sitting on a car on Walkers Avenue when shots rang out.

They ran in a bid to escape during which Haughton sustained gunshot wounds to his upper body and right arm and collapsed.

Shortly after a group of men armed with rifles and handguns then made their way to where the fire victims were asleep. They reportedly threw gas oil on the houses then set them ablaze and opened gun fire which awoke the occupants of the households.

While the occupants were escaping from the burning buildings, the gunmen opened fire at them and they had to retreat inside the burning houses resulting in a complainant sustaining burns all over her body.

The shooters then escaped in the area on foot.

The police were summoned and both victims were taken to the Spanish Town Hospital where Haughton was pronounced dead on arrival while the woman was admitted in serious condition.

The Waterford and Spanish Town Fire Department visited the scene and managed to extinguish the blaze.