Glenroy Sinclair, Staff Reporter
Residents from central Kingston block Charles Street yesterday to protest the killing of a youth in the area by gunmen on Sunday night. - NORMAN GRINDLEY/DEPUTY CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
THE DEATH of a 16-year-old boy and the shooting of another man have jeopardised the fragile peace talks between the rival communities of 'Tel-Aviv' and 'Spoilers' in central Kingston.
Dead is Delano Ducasse, alias 'Akeem' of a Wildman Street address, while nursing gunshot wounds is Sean Green of a Georges Lane address. The police said Green was shot shortly after he had dropped off his child at the nearby Calabar Primary School on James Street.
Yesterday scores of irate residents mounted roadblocks and burned debris along Wildman, Charles and Beeston streets, crying out for justice and demanding more police protection.
ALTERNATIVE ROUTES
Motorists had to use alternative routes, a situation which left some commuters stranded for several hours. Reports are that the teenager was shot at least 13 times by two gunmen.
The police said he was walking along Gold Street when he was attacked and killed. The Gleaner was told that the youth was visiting his mother on East Queen Street for his regular Sunday dinner, when he was attacked.
"We have since collected statements and have an idea of the persons involved," said Deputy Superintendent Melvin Brown, the administrative officer for the Kingston Central Police Division. "We are hoping to make an arrest soon."
DSP Brown said the leadership of Tel-Aviv has indicated that they knew who the killers were and have promised to turn them over to the police.
Reports are that, since last Thursday, representatives of both communities have been meeting with the police. A second meeting was held on Sunday.
"The police were at the meeting and it was agreed by the parties that there would be peace," said DSP Brown who, along with other colleagues, cleared the roadblocks yesterday.
At least 13 persons have been shot, seven fatally, over the past six weeks, as rival gunmen launch sporadic attacks. Among the victims were a mother and her two sons who were murdered at their Hanover Street home.
