Residents living in fear after deadly shooting

With tears streaming down her face yesterday, the grandmother of 19-year-old Jushane Edwards, one of the victims from Sunday's shooting in Commodore, St Catherine, held on to Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness tightly and wept.

Between tears, she told him that her major source of assistance was snatched away.

"Mi grandson was the one who take care a mi, eno, Sir, why dem have to kill him?" the elderly woman cried as Holness offered words of encouragement. As he, other political representatives and members of the security forces visited Commodore yesterday, another woman tearfully expressed fear.

"Mr Prime Minister mi nuh feel safe and mi wouldn't mind yuh change we location because mi don't know weh dis a come from," she said.

Holness replied: "We will look into everything to see how best we can support the family through this whole instance here which may have to include possibly some relocation if when it is accessed it is deem necessary."

As he expressed condolences, Holness stated that he would ensure that the perpetrators will be brought to justice. He added that the entire government will be mobilised to support the loved ones of the victims and the survivors of this attack.

"My presence here is to highlight that we must also focus on the victims which includes the three innocent children that are left behind and the father who cried and said his son didn't get to give him a grandson and the grandmother who was crying in her room. The society must place great importance on the victims of crime in as much as sometimes we pay to the perpetrators of crimes," he said.

He described Sunday's act as one of criminal terrorism, designed by those who aim to drive fear into the lives of innocent citizens. He stated that while the security forces have made significant progress in reducing the nation's crime over the past three years, there are still evil and heartless beings in the population.

Police Commissioner Dr Kevin Blake implored persons not to shelter the hoodlums responsible for this heinous crime.

"Young Shannon [Gordon] was just four years of age and did not get the chance to grow up because of some hoodlums who have nothing to contribute to society. It is time that we as a people exercise intolerance of this senseless type of behaviour and we do not need to give them shelter. These guys are somewhere being sheltered by someone and if you believe for a moment that you are safe with having people like these in your community, then let me assure you that you are not. We will leave no stone unturned as the JCF to ensure that these persons are brought to justice," Blake said.

Member of Parliament for St Catherine North Central, Natalie Neita Garvey, told THE STAR that the family has endured several tragedies and needs counselling and other interventions.

"This is a family that has been through so much and just a couple weeks ago they would have buried one of their relatives, a young man who was a footballer who met in an accident overseas, and last year another relative would have met an untimely death in Walks Road after she was hit by a tractor trailer. They have gone through a lot and this is the most difficult they have to deal with as member of parliament and I can't imagine what kind of scruffs, murderer and what kind of mind would allow oneself to engage in a gun battle that would claim the life of a four year old," she said.

She also expressed concerns for residents, opining that the area is going to be tense for a long while.

"As Jamaicans, we must find a way to get back to a place of love, as nothing like this should ever occur and we are here to stand by the family," Neita Garvey said.

A curfew order has been imposed in the area as well as the communities of Banbury and Trinity and will continue until 6 p.m. tomorrow.