Mountain View terror - Violence continues, 10-year-old killed

By Glenroy Sinclair, Staff Reporter

GUN VIOLENCE continued in sections of Mountain View Avenue in Kingston on the weekend, claiming the lives of two persons, including a ten-year-old student and pushing the number of violent deaths since January to 830.

Police have identified the latest victims as Diandra Rose, a student of Norman Gardens Primary School, and 21-year-old Steve Simpson. According to the police, ten persons have died violently from the community since September 3.

There was a strong detachment of police in the troubled sections of Mountain View Avenue yesterday; but many terrified residents were trapped in their homes amidst sporadic outbursts of gunfire, while others fled some with furniture and clothing in the back of vans.

Motorists continue to avoid the area and with residents afraid to leave their homes, lanes and avenues such as Goodridge, Bonnyview, Saunders and Homestead Road were transformed into ghost towns.

Last week, high-profile teams from both the governing People's National Party (PNP) and the opposition Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) went into the Mountain View community to meet with residents and to map strategies to end the violence. The police promised to relocate the Command Post in the area and create so-called buffer-zones to limit the movements of gunmen.

But on the weekend there was another upsurge of violence. Reports are that about 8:30 p.m. on Saturday a group of heavily armed men invaded Saunders Avenue. Their first stop was at premises number five, a tenement yard, where ten-year-old Diandra was inside watching television. Reports are that the gunmen fired several shots through the wooden door of the small one-room dwelling. One of the bullets, which came from a high-powered weapon, ripped through her head.

"They also fired several shots through my window, my three children who were on the bed had to lay flat," said a tenant, who packed and fled the area under police escort.

It is alleged that Simpson's death could be a reprisal to young Diandra's killing. Initial reports are that Simpson is related to a prominent resident of Backbush, a JLP stronghold. He was gunned down on his small calaloo farm early yesterday on Bunny View Avenue.

Police believe the latest round of shootings are linked to the to the death of Pauline "Junie" Bennett, who was among four persons killed in the JLP stronghold of 63 Mountain View Avenue on September 12. Her funeral service was scheduled for yesterday at the Jacques Road Community Centre followed by burial in Westmoreland.

Back to Lead Stories