Another killing in volatile Norwood - Two persons held in triple murder probe
Published:Thursday | March 10, 2016 | 12:00 AM
Western Bureau:
Just hours after Wednesday's triple murder at a cookshop in their community, residents of Norwood in Montego Bay, St James, were to experience more trauma with the shooting death of another young man in an alleged confrontation with a police-military patrol.
According to police reports, the police-military patrol, which was on duty in Norwood, came under heavy gunfire from armed thugs, and the fire was returned.
They said that when the shooting ended, a man was found dead and an illegal firearm was recovered.
"The patrol came under gunfire from a group of gunmen, and the fire was returned," said Senior Superintendent of Police Steve McGregor, the commanding officer for the St James Police Division.
"One man was killed and an illegal firearm recovered."
However, residents yesterday flatly rejected the police's version of the incident. They are contending that the deceased man, who they identified as Reno Christie, was among a group of men who were accosted by the police. They said that he was taken away from the group and shot dead.
"It was no shoot-out ... it was a hold and killed ... cold-blooded murder," a resident told The Gleaner.
"We hope we are not going back to the days when the police just walk into the community and kill people as they like."
With regard to the investigations into Wednesday's triple murder, the police currently have two persons in custody who they believe can provide valuable information about the brutal incident that rocked the community and caused several residents to be cowering in fear.
"So far, we have two persons in custody and we are out looking for other persons ... . We now have a fair idea of those who did the shooting," said McGregor, who, on Wednesday, bemoaned the senseless nature of the killings, which were sparked by an incident in which water was thrown on a cell phone.