CALLING THE latest killing of another policeman on Monday night an "attack on the foundation of the state", Minister of National Security, Dr. Peter Phillips charged yesterday it was quite clear members of the police force were being targeted by criminals.
As if to reinforce the Minister's statement, another policeman was killed last night, according to sketchy details available from the Constabulary Communications Network (CCN) at press time.
CCN said that no details were available at the time, but that they had been informed that two persons were killed in the Naggo Head/Newland area of St. Catherine shortly after 9 p.m. Neither the policeman nor the civilian were identified.
Speaking to The Gleaner yesterday morning, only a few feet away from the bullet-riddled body of Detective Corporal Joshua Graham who was killed at the intersection of Olivier Road and Constant Spring Road just after 11:00 p.m. on Monday night, Dr. Phillips said it was hard to fathom the rationale behind "these senseless acts of barbarism".
"This is brutal... just plain brutal," Dr. Phillips said. "It is my belief that he was targeted and cut down for no other reason than that he was a member of the Jamaica Constabulary Force. Can somebody explain this to me? Nobody deserves this."
The murder of Corporal Graham, 35, a veteran of 15 years in the police force and formerly stationed at the Cross Roads Criminal Investigation Branch (CIB), brings to nine, the number of policemen killed in the line of duty this year. Five were killed within the past month.
He was shot at point-blank range almost a dozen times as he stopped at the traffic light at the intersection. His service revolver was taken by his assailants.
The police have yet to establish a motive for the killing and have offered a $1 million reward for any information leading to the perpetrators.
Dr. Phillips, who only a few weeks ago had said he had seen no evidence to suggest there was a conspiracy to kill members of the police force, said yesterday "there was a certain pattern with the last three killings" which had altered his thinking.
"Judging by what I have seen with these last three killings, yes I believe the police are being targeted," he said.
The Security Minister repeated his charge at the funeral service of Det. Corporal Erro Bell at the Garrison Church of the Ascension, Up Park Camp yesterday. He urged policemen not to succumb to the pressure.
Two weeks ago, Detective Cpl. Bell was stabbed and shot and his firearm was stolen in a bakery in downtown Kingston while on Saturday, District Constable Linden Smith was shot and killed -- also in the downtown area.
