Glenroy Sinclair, Staff Reporter
THOMAS AND REESE
MOST OF the over 1,321 persons who have been murdered since January were either directly involved or linked to the incident which took their lives, says Police Commissioner Lucius Thomas.
According to the commissioner, "... If a mother has a son who is involved in gang warfare and the opposing gang is unable to reach that son, they will come and wipe out the entire family."
One prime example, the police say, is the Barnes Avenue incident in which a 10-year-old girl, her aunt and grandparents were burnt to death after heavily-armed gunmen firebombed their five-bedroom house.
Residents who heard the screaming child crying out for help, went to her assistance, but were fired on by the gunmen.
According to Deputy Superintendent Delroy Hewitt, based on investigation, it is believed that the family had a male relative who was a part of a gang operating in the Maxfield Avenue area of Kingston, but because opposing gang members could not locate him, they chose to wipe out his family.
The Sunday Gleaner understands that there was a similar case in Central Kingston a week ago. A mother and her two sons were shot and killed at their home on Hanover Street. It is alleged that the gunmen went for the elder son, but took the lives of the mother and the other son when they started to scream for help.
Commissioner Thomas further said that a number of the women murdered since January, were killed because the perpetrators were unable to catch their spouse or male relative. According to police records, 127 women have been slain since the start of the year.
"Some of these killings were influenced by men living overseas," Commissioner Thomas told The Sunday Gleaner.
There are also allegations that inmates within the penal system are using cellular telephones to contact their cronies on the outside and organise the killing of persons across communities.
"I know of one case that the police are now investigating," Head of the Department of Correctional Services, Major Richard Reese, told The Sunday Gleaner yesterday.
He said the police were trying to establish if there was any relationship between the death of the principal who was killed in St. Mary recently, and an inmate incarcerated in the penal system. The principal was a witness in a case which involved the inmate.
"We have adopted certain security measures, in which we are monitoring remandees and appellants," Major Reese said.
