Barrington Flemming – Staff Reporter
The parish of St. James is reeling from a rash of murders over a bloody weekend into Monday, which has left eight persons dead, including an elderly woman, and several persons nursing gunshot wounds.
The victims have been identified as Chad Trought, otherwise called ‘Kyle’ of New Roads, Cambridge; 43-year-old Sebastian Reid, tiler and taxi operator of Salt Spring; 29-year-old Shavion McPherson, otherwise called ‘Hussle Habit’ and ‘Dave’, a music producer of Catadupa; 47-year-old barber, Dwight McCallum, otherwise called ‘Blue’ of Quarry; Estrianna Wilson, 77-year-old retired domestic helper of Quarry; 20-year-old Nicardo Daley; 47-year-old Donovan Reid, otherwise called ‘Dummy’, both of Norwood addresses and 50-year-old Aubrey Brown, otherwise called ‘Bram’, a plumber of Irie Lane, also in Norwood.
Trought, a member of the Cambridge United football team, became the latest murder victim after he was shot and killed by unknown assailants in the community on Monday night.
Reports from the Cambridge Police are that about 8:50 p.m., residents reportedly heard explosions and alerted them. On their arrival, Trought was seen lying on his side on his veranda in a pool of blood with gunshot wounds. The scene was processed and he was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Meanwhile, a swathe of murders occurred about 6p.m. on Sunday in Quarry when McPherson and other men were playing football at the community field, and a party was in session at a nearby premises.
It is reported that a white Nissan Noah motorcar with four men aboard drove to the party location, alighted from the vehicle and opened gunfire at the persons in attendance, causing them to disperse in different directions.
McPherson and another man, who were at the playing field and heard the explosions, hurriedly boarded a white Toyota Voxy and were driving away from the field when the gunmen peppered the vehicle with shots.
When the shooting subsided, it was discovered that seven persons, including some persons at the party, had been shot and wounded.
The driver of the vehicle with McPherson, while injured, drove to the Cornwall Regional Hospital where he was treated for gunshot wounds, while McPherson succumbed to his injuries.
McCallum and Wilson, along with the other injured persons were subsequently transported to the hospital, where McCallum was pronounced dead while Wilson died whilst undergoing treatment.
Prior to that, on Saturday about 11a.m., Sebastian Reid was driving his motorcycle along the Salt Spring main road heading towards Meggie Top, when on reaching a section of the road, he was pounced upon by armed men who emerged from the bushes and opened fire at him, hitting him in the shoulder and buttock.
Reid sped off but later crashed nearby and was assisted to the police station, from where he was taken to hospital, where he died whilst undergoing treatment.
Further away at Irie Lane in the community of Norwood, crime sleuths were summoned to a homicide scene mere minutes into Saturday morning.
Reports from the Montego Hills Police are that about 12: 01 a.m., Brown was walking along the roadway when on reaching his gate he was pounced upon by armed men who opened fire hitting him; they also took his personal belongings.
The hoodlums then set ablaze a Toyota Altis motorcar that was nearby. The Police and the Fire Department were alerted. Upon their arrival, the fire was extinguished and Brown was seen lying on the roadway with gunshot wounds. He was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead.
However, Brown’s death was preceded by a double murder committed at Hollywood in the community just hours before on Friday.
Reports are that about 8:00 p.m., Daley and Donavon Reid were among patrons at a bar when they were pounced upon by two men who opened gunfire hitting them. The Police were alerted and they were taken to hospital where Daley and Reid were pronounced dead, and the woman was admitted for treatment; she is considered stable.
The murders prompted a visit to both communities on Monday from National Security Minister, Dr. Horace Chang, who is also the Member of Parliament for North West St. James.
In condemning the attacks, Minister Chang said the killings will have to stop and vowed to use all the resources available to the government to bring the perpetrators to justice and to dismantle gangs and apprehend gangsters who are murdering innocent persons.