Glenroy Sinclair, Staff Reporter
UP TO a month ago, the violence-plagued communities of Shoe Lane and Black Street in the McIntyre Villa area of east Kingston were buzzing with activity; children playing in the streets and groups of young people socialising on the various corners.
All that has changed over the past two weeks, following the resurgence of a bloody feud between two rival gangs. One faction hails from Black and Bray streets, the other from the Shoe Lane/Graham and Bryden streets area.
At least two persons have been shot and killed in the community since Sunday. One has been identified as 21-year-old Omar Smith, who was killed at a shop on Windward Road on Monday evening. Reports are that he went to purchase razor blades and was waiting on his change when a white car with three men aboard drove up and shot him several times.
REPRISAL KILLING
His killing is believed to be a reprisal for the killing of 41-year-old Michael Glade, alias 'Flour', who was shot and injured on Sunday, along Graham Street. He later died in the Kingston Public Hospital.
Fearful residents told The Gleaner that the sporadic shootings on Monday night lasted until about 5:30 yesterday morning. The streets were empty when a Gleaner news team visited the area shortly after midday yesterday. Most of the corner shops had pulled down their shutters and the roadside vendors had abandoned their stalls.
Yesterday, the police carried out an operation in the area and 15 men were detained. Deputy Superintendent Steve McGreggor, the acting divisional commander for Kingston East, told The Gleaner that two of them will be charged with murder.
