Student among four killed in Westmoreland

WESTERN BUREAU:

A sixteen-year-old student of Manning's School in Savanna-la-Mar, Westmoreland, was among four persons shot and killed, as blood-thirsty gunmen went on a shooting spree in the western parish between late Sunday night and early yesterday morning. Five other persons were shot and injured.

The slain student was identified as Shamar Tomlinson of Crowder district in Grange Hill. He was described by both his father and principal as an ambitious youngster who had potential.

"This is a sad time for the school," said Steve Gordon, the principal at Manning's. "Two weeks ago, one of his (Tomlinson's) classmates died by drowning, so it is a particularly sad time for his class. We are providing them with counselling at this time."

For Derrick Tomlinson, the murder of his son is a bitter blow. He shared that he was doing quite well academically and seemed destined to make him proud.

"Shamar was a good boy, an obedient son to me," said Tomlinson, whose forlorn look could not hide his grief. "He was doing very well in school and I believe he was going to turn out well in life. He did not deserve to die like this."

According to reports, shortly after 2:40 a.m. on Sunday, Shamar was at home with his family when a group of armed men kicked in the front door. The teen, who was in bed, ran out of the house but he was chased by the men, who shot him several times. He died on the spot.

HUMBLE AND OBEDIENT

Shamar's grandmother, Yvonne Reid, who clearly had a soft spot for her grandson, could not contain her tears as she described him as a model child, who was humble and obedient.

"He is so humble, everybody have good things to say about him," said Reid. "He don't go on the street unless he is sent out or he is going to school."

"Lord, have mercy! My God! I can't take it anymore! I cannot. I cannot! I cannot!" she wailed.

In the other incident, 20-year-old Davian 'Bolo' Malcolm, of Russia district, was standing at his gate with two friends at about 8:30 p.m. on Sunday, when they were ambushed by men armed with handguns, who opened fire on them. Malcolm was killed.

At approximately 2:30 a.m. yesterday, men armed with rifles went to a section of Fort Williams, known as Coolie Town, where they barged into the house of 32-year-old Relando Reid and his girlfriend. He was robbed and then shot dead. The killers escaped in his Toyota Corolla motor car.

Then shortly after 3 a.m., 35-year-old jerk chicken vendor Wayne Sweetland had just finished selling along a section of Norman Manley Boulevard in Negril, when he and other vendors were accosted by two men travelling by motorcycle. Sweetland was robbed and shot.

Since the start of the year, 104 persons have been murdered in Westmoreland, which has emerged as the new murder capital of the west.