Glenroy Sinclair, Staff Reporter

A fresh wave of gun violence has erupted in another section of the volatile West Central St. Andrew constituency, where at least four persons, including a 15 year-old Penwood High School student, have been shot in under 48 hours.

Two of the victims were murdered between Tuesday evening and early yesterday morning while the other two are now nursing gunshot wounds. Dead are Franklyn Rogers, a 35 year-old barber of a Varma Road address, and Philbert Knight, alias 'Bruce'.

The constituency has been tense since last month, following an outbreak of political violence in the Cling Cling Avenue area, near Olympic Ways and several persons, including a five year-old girl and her mother, were shot and injured over a two-week period.

This time it was the Bay Farm Road community which was hit by violence on Tuesday night. According to police reports, Mr. Rogers who had gone to the Hunts Bay Police Station to report on condition of bail, was murdered while on his way back home.

Who killed Rogers?

The police theorise that someone might have seen Mr. Rogers leave the police station, then called his killers and advised them as to how he was travelling back to the community.

A Ford pickup truck was later used to block the path of the mini bus in which Rogers was travelling. A group of gunmen then ordered the passengers off the bus, before shooting Mr. Rogers several times. During the shooting, the student and another man were shot and injured.

What is the conflict about?

Michael Phipps, the deputy superintendent in charge of crime for the St. Andrew South Police Division, believes that Mr. Rodgers' death might be linked to the murder of a former area leader of Balmagie, known as 'Abdulla', who was killed a year ago.

In reprisal to Mr. Rodgers' death, gunmen struck yesterday morning at 190 Bay Farm Road, killing Knight. The Gleaner understands that the conflict is between sections of the community known as 'Back Lane' and Balmagie Avenue.

"We have since saturated the area with increased mobile and foot patrols," said DSP Phipps.