Police presence beefed up in Clarendon after 10 persons were shot, two fatally by gunmen

Security presence has been increased in the volatile community of York Town and its environs in Clarendon, after 10 persons were shot, two fatally by gunmen, on Friday, July 8.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Dathan Henry, the Head of the Clarendon Police Division, told RJR News,on Saturday, July 9, that police personnel have been deployed to the troubled community, with an aim to restore peace to the area and to look for the gunmen behind yesterday's attack.

SSP Henry added that the police are having a hard time getting information from residents of the York Town area, where the Settlement gang is based, as it relates to illegal activity in the community.

Three of the 10 wounded persons were shot just before 7:00 a.m. on Friday when a group of people were dropped off at work in the heart of York Town.

A car reportedly drove up and the armed occupants shot at the group, hitting five of them.

Otis Beckford, 44, otherwise called 'Tex', and Alex Simms, 33, died on the spot.

It is alleged that moments later, the same gunmen went to the community of Bullards Content and opened fire, hitting five persons who were at a grave-digging event.

The police believe that both incidents are linked to an internal gang feud in the community.

Comment

You need to be a member of CaribbeanFever / FeverEyes / CaribFever to add comments!

Join CaribbeanFever / FeverEyes / CaribFever

Comment by hasina zuberi on July 12, 2011 at 5:29pm: TOTAL DISGRACE...

Comment by Mark Riley on July 12, 2011 at 10:36am: Jamaican's let us be happy for another day...Our independence Day is arriving....please let us be proud , for what we are, and what we stand for!!...

Comment by Bombahdrop on July 12, 2011 at 8:50am: I totally Agree michael douglas Most of them go around lost and angry for no reason at all, dem don't realize how blessed jamaica is.

Comment by michael douglas on July 12, 2011 at 3:55am: Its time 4 the people 2 come 2gethern celibrate life insted of promoting deth, Jamaica is spell Jah-maker---Jah-mek-yah cant u see what that mean. A lot moreJamaican need 2 travel 2 other parts of the world in order for them 2 realise how bless that Island is. If it was'nt 4 the crime Jamaica would be the closes u get 2 heaven

Comment by Kamilah M on July 12, 2011 at 12:46am: actually, crime is down in ja but poverty is up

Comment by Connie on July 11, 2011 at 11:16pm: @Femi, it looks worse in Jamaica because we are a very small island and we hear about these type of killings quite frequently. Mexico is so crime ridden, that the Mayor and police commissioner resigned earlier this year from a small town that the drug-cartel took over murdering and be-heading residents and piling their bodies in abandoned buildings. Thank God we don't have gangs tying bombs to themselves in Jamaica to blow-up their enemies and government officials. The criminals are too vain to be martyrs.

Comment by Femi on July 11, 2011 at 10:59pm: I know killings exist all over the world today. However, it seems as if it's happening more so than ever in Jamaica. What is the problem and what is the answer????

Comment by Piff Starr on July 11, 2011 at 10:56pm: Real live Cowboys and Indians!

Comment by Maxine Robinson on July 11, 2011 at 10:16pm: Omg this is right in my back yard. What is wrong with this generation nowadays. This was such a peaceful community. Let us all pray for our island and it's people. Guide and protect them Heavenly Father.