THERE WAS more grief in the St Andrew community of Hope Flats yesterday when 55-year-old painter Oswald Albert Davis became the latest casualty of gang violence.

Constable Garfield Gordon of the Papine Police Station said Davis was killed by gunmen after attempting to escape the flames of his firebombed house in Kintyre district, Hope Flats.

Davis' home was one of six houses firebombed by thugs in the early-morning attack. He was murdered almost 24 hours after 53- year-old Courtney Campbell and his common-law wife Violet Nicely, also known as Faye, were killed in the area by gunmen.

Demanded entry

The police report that the couple were at home at 7 a.m. when armed men pounded on their front door and demanded entry. When Campbell refused, they kicked in the door and shot Nicely several times, killing her on the spot.

Campbell, who fled through the back entrance, was chased by the men and killed.

This is the latest episode of violence in neighbourhoods that dot the Papine community. It began on Friday when Michael Smith, 38, of Kintyre in Hope Flats, was murdered. Gordon said a detachment of police has been patrolling the area since Friday.

No arrests have been made.