Double murder shatters fragile peace in Grange Hill

Western Office:

The tenuous peace that has prevailed in Grange Hill, Westmoreland, since a major police and military crackdown on criminal gangs in March was shattered on Wednesday by the double murder of two teenagers outside a nightclub in the community.

The deceased teenagers have been identified as Jael-Jay Tomlinson, 15, from the Burnt Savannah district of Frome, also in Westmoreland; and Ramesh O’Connor, 18, from an address in Frome. A third teenager from an address in Frome was shot and injured in the same incident.

Grange Hill has been a hotbed of violence for years, but earlier this year lawlessness increased, with a series of murders as a result of the bloody feud between the King Valley gang and the emerging Ants Posse gang over territory and the spoils of criminal activity.

According to reports, the victims were traveling with a friend on two motorcycles from Hanover to Westmoreland around 3 p.m. on Wednesday. They stopped at Uptionz Night Club and went under the plaza to take shelter from the heavy rain.

As they stood beneath the square, a lone man approached them, pulled a gun from his waistband and opened fire on them. As they fell to the ground, the gunman retreated and rode away on a waiting motorcycle toward Hanover.

“The one who was shot but not killed must be the luckiest man in the world because the shooter had him cornered and he couldn’t run away,” said a woman who claimed to have witnessed the incident up close.

“I don’t know what’s wrong with these young men. They’re so bloodthirsty, so heartless.”

After the shooting, police were alerted when a crowd gathered around the victims, apparently trying to determine their identities.

“When we got there, Tomlinson and O’Connor were seen on the ground, in pools of blood, with gunshot wounds to their chests,” a police officer said. The gleaner. “The other young man was also lying on the ground with bullet wounds in his chest, head and right hand. Fortunately for the woman who was with them, she somehow escaped unharmed.”

All three teenagers were taken by police to the Savanna-la-Mar Public General Hospital. Tomlinson and O’Connor were pronounced dead on arrival, while the other man was treated and listed in critical condition.

Although Westmoreland’s murder rate is declining, there have been 66 murders recorded through August 24. St. James’ total has 90, but this is still the highest number of the island’s 19 police departments. This is the same as last year’s statistic compared to the same period this year.

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