Glenroy Sinclair, Staff Reporter
EIGHT FAMILIES were left homeless yesterday after heavily-armed gunmen invaded a section of the Hannah Town community in west Kingston, burning six houses.
According to the police, four other houses were partially damaged as the fire quickly spread to the adjoining premises.
A police party escorting the fire unit into the area was fired on by the gunmen who retreated when the police returned the fire. However, by the time the fire unit reached the scene, six houses on Upper West Street were already destroyed.
WARNINGS GIVEN TO RESIDENTS
Reports reaching The Gleaner are that the residents had ignored threats by the gunmen who had told them to leave the community. The Gleaner was told that over the past two months, factions from Upper Oxford Street and Rose Lane have been involved in a bloody dispute over illegal guns.
There are reports that the gunmen from Upper Oxford Street were disarmed by an influential person from Rose Lane about six weeks ago. Since then, a series of events has taken place.
On Sunday, two persons identified as 'Bubbles' and 'Samba' were shot and injured in separate incidents in the area. Speaking with The Gleaner yesterday, Deputy Superintendent Delroy Hewitt, operations officer for West Kingston, said the police could only confirm that 'Samba' had been shot.
He said the police will be putting measures in place to prevent any further disturbance in the community.
