MoBay gangs erupt

WESTERN BUREAU:

GANG WARFARE erupted in Montego Bay's inner city yesterday morning, leaving five men with gunshot wounds. Two men were detained in connection with the incident.

The guns were turned on members of the Area One Flying Squad who were deployed in Bottom Pen to restore calm, but the police party managed to quell the fighting by early afternoon.

Yesterday's hostilities, were reportedly started when two men from the Renegades Gang of Hendon, trained their guns on men in the Bottom Pen community.

In hospital with gunshot wounds are Garfield Lindo, 27 shopkeeper, Lloyd Nicholson, Christopher Green, Kemar Daley and a man known only as Randy.

For more than a year, the Renegades and Ravers of Bottom Pen have been at war, but there was no indication what sparked yesterday's confrontation.

"It's a very problematic area," said Area One Crime Chief Supt. John Morris.

Lindo, was shot three times in the chest after the men opened fire on him and the others who were sitting near his shop at Tank Lane in Bottom Pen.

He underwent surgery at the Cornwall Regional Hospital.

Ann-Marie Daley, sister of Kemar Daley who was shot in the hand and chest, said two men walked up and started shooting at the men who were sitting underneath a tree.

"My brother is a peacemaker. Him nuh deal wid war and him nuh inna a no gang business and see it yah now dem shoot him innocently," Ms. Daley said.

"We are going to increase police presence in the area and in terms of the conflicts, we are going to have to do some intervention with our community relations," said Supt. Morris.

Morris has been trying to map strategies to deal with the unprecedented wave of criminal activity in Montego Bay. This month has seen three deaths by the gun, and several robberies and wounding.

So far the police have effected raids in an attempt to bag the criminals, but Supt. Morris said yesterday, direct talks with gang members is the next step.

"However, where persons (gang members) are found to have committed crimes, the law will have to take its course," he said.

The mother of 'Randy' who asked not to be named, said her son was not part of the gangs as he had been in Kingston with his aunt working as a higgler.

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