- Crony killed in dragnet
The sigh of relief breathed by residents of the Retrieve and Cambridge communities in St. James was short-lived, as after a massive military operation, the bullet-riddled body thought to be feared gangster Delano ‘Prekeh’ Wilmot, in fact turned out to be that of his right-hand man, Richard ‘Cruz’ Anderson, suggesting that ‘Prekeh’ is still on the run.
This has left residents of the mentioned communities, which have long been under the grips of the persistent Ratty Gang and its remnants, quivering in fear. The threat of his reign of terror ending, residents believe, may cause the cornered Wilmot to react more violently than they are accustomed – a display of wrath they are insisting the security forces stay in the communities to protect them from.
On Monday, November 12, the barrage of gunshots, as well as helicopters flying overhead, proved the community of Retrieve had been transformed into a warzone between members of the security forces and marauding gunmen in the area. Following the intense bullet exchange, one man, later identified as Cruz, was found dead, with an M16 assault rifle next to him.
Though unconfirmed by the police, Cruz, according to residents, had been the right-hand man of ‘Prekeh’, who took over leadership of the notorious Ratty Gang after its leader, Ryan ‘Ratty’ Peterkin, was killed in a confrontation with the police. Now, with Cruz being the latest of the dwindling gang to bite the dust, the security forces have beefed up their presence in the tension-filled community, and are now focused on thoroughly combing through the area, in hopes of finding Wilmot, whom they believe could not have gone far. Wilmot, reports suggest, may have slipped away during the heated gunfight.
The identity of the dead man was thought to have been Wilmot, owing to the similarities of bleached skin and similar body type shared between himself and Anderson.
The police are warning that Wilmot is a heartless killer who must be considered armed and dangerous at all times. His last confrontation with the security forces ended in two soldiers being shot and injured in that community.
The security forces continue to maintain a presence in the community, as they remain committed to completely dismantling the Ratty Gang, which has been involved in a number of murders and extortion cases in the community and surrounding areas.