Cabbie, passenger killed in Spanish Town
Published:Thursday | April 6, 2023 | 10:11 AMRuddy Mathison/Gleaner Writer
A cab driver and his female passenger were killed in the Railway Lane area of Spanish Town, St Catherine on Wednesday, after gunmen chased the vehicle in which they were travelling and opened fire at them.
The deceased have been identified as 31-year-old taxi operator Orlando McGregor and 45-year-old Marlene Smith of Scubba Lane, Old Harbour.
Reports are that about 2:30 p.m., the criminals, who were in pursuit of the white Toyota Probox motor car, caught up with the vehicle when it turned on to Railway Lane.
Two gunmen reportedly opened fire at the vehicle, hitting both occupants. The driver then lost control of the car, which crashed into a zinc fence.
Up to press time, the police had not disclosed their identities.
Residents in the community, who told The Gleaner that they are still reeling from a quadruple killing in the area last June, were enraged by the latest incident.
"Mi just a come out a mi yard when mi hear the shot dem, and den mi hear a loud sound when the car crash in a the fence. Mi so frighten that mi run back inside the house and lock the door. Mi nuh know why dem come 'round yah with dis," a female resident said.
The woman expressed relief that her children were at school at the time of the incident, as they could have been injured in the attack.
Another resident said the sounds of the gunshots brought back memories of the June 2022 shooting.
"Why dem haffi come around here with this?" she questioned, "A right deh so we stand up and play music every night. [We're] lucky it happen in the daytime when we nuh deh pon the corner a vibe," she said.
No motive has been established.