‘An ugly sight’

When heavily armed attackers began firing indiscriminately at a party in Franklyn Town, Kingston, on Sunday night, many thought men from the community were engaging in an illegal gun salute as Aidonia’s Badman Salute (Real Killa) blared through the speakers, oblivious to the unfolding mass shooting which would leave 12 people injured.

Smoke and screams soon followed as vendors and patrons slowly became aware of the impending danger as the merrymaking turned into pandemonium.

Hours after the frightening incident, one vendor held on to the arms of another woman, thanking her for coming to her aid earlier.

She told The Gleaner yesterday morning that she was doing her rounds supplying patrons with cigarettes, smoking paraphernalia and bubble gum at the intersection of Wellington Street and Somerset Avenue when all hell broke loose.

Grazed by a bullet, she began crawling around frantically on her stomach when the other woman lifted her up.

The still-frightened vendor said that when she saw the gunmen arrive in a vehicle, she believed they were more patrons and was instantly anticipating chalking up more sales.

“Mi say, ‘More people a come a di party’, so mi a sell and another customer come and say, ‘Two more Matterhorn’, so mi a tek out,” the vendor recalled moments before the mayhem.

When the shooting began about 11 p.m., she foresaw an early end to her night’s hustle, lamenting that the police would now soon bring the event to an end as a result of what she and other patrons believed was a gun salute. She could not fathom the true disaster.

Burning sensation

“Mi say a mash dem want mash up the man party so early and know say police ago come lock it off,” the vendor told The Gleaner. “When mi look ‘round, a bare smoke and fire mi see and everybody start run up and down.”

She soon began feeling a burning sensation and fell to the ground as her goods scattered around her.

Another patron also recalled not being alarmed by the explosions initially.

“The song a play and mi hear di shot dem. Mi think a salute at di time and mi say, ‘No, sah’,” the resident said.

Like many others in attendance, she soon scampered off, leaving shoes, drinks, phones and other items strewn around as they sought cover at a the Cheers and Beers chill spot.

The vendor, who usually relies on events for an income, had plans to go elsewhere that night, but when the first customer spent more that $10,000, she abandoned the thought.

Counting her blessings

“It was an ugly sight. From mi a go party go sell, mi never see nothing like that. Right deh so mi mek my food – honest living – and mi coulda lose mi life,” she said, counting her blessings, adding, “Worse coulda happen.”

Residents said that they had expected the event to run smoothly since a truce had been brokered between opposing factions in the area.

The police had also granted a permit for the event and cops were reportedly on patrol throughout the night.

“It look like dem a watch the police, ‘cause police did up and down the road last night. Dem affi deh one place at a time and the gunman dem always deh ahead of the police,” she said.

A male resident expressed surprise at the number of shots fired.

“Dem shoot up di [parked] car and shoot up di whole place. Shot chip up di whole ground. ... One of di time dem, mi think di man dem nah stop fire,” the resident said.

Yesterday, the community remained on edge with residents angry that a mass shooting had transpired.

A visitor to the island was reportedly the worst among the 12 injured.

The majority of the injured were released from hospital by mid-afternoon yesterday and none of the injuries considered life-threatening.

Up to late yesterday, the police had not yet determined a motive for the shooting and were appealing to residents to assist with their investigation.

The police report that as at April 9, murders since the start of the year were on par with the 405 recorded for the corresponding period last year.

The St Mary Police Division has seen the highest percentage increase of 1,400 per cent, with 15 persons killed since January compared to one for the corresponding period in 2021.

Other divisions with 100 per cent or more increase include Trelawny, with 13 murders, up from three in 2021 (333.3 per cent increase); Westmoreland, with 42 murders, compared to 18 last year (133.3 per cent); and Portland with four murders, a doubling of the two in 2021 (100 per cent).

Shootings across the island’s 19 police divisions are down 13.3 per cent with 312 since January, compared to 360 for the corresponding period in 2021.

andre.williams@gleanerjm.com