Police impersonators kill man in St James
Published:Friday | November 8, 2019 | 12:43 AMHopeton Bucknor/Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
While legitimate lawmen continue to grapple with a crime wave plaguing St James, a band of police impersonators who shot and killed a man in Paisley district early yesterday morning are now adding to their headache.
In the brazen attack, the men, posing as police officers, barged into a house occupied by 26-year-old farmer Jommoy Pinnock and his common-law wife. The woman was forced to lie face down on the floor while her companion was shot multiple times.
“We never know seh dem something yah woulda reach wi little community. Odane (Pinnock) have him two pickney dem fe live fah. A him a di breadwinner fi him family, and dem just come kill him suh,” a distraught family member told The Gleaner.
According to reports, at about 4:30 a.m. yesterday, the common-law couple were at home when they heard banging on their doors and voices shouting, “Open up! Open up! Police!” Before they could open the door, it was forced open.
To their surprise, instead of police officers, masked men entered the house armed with high-powered rifles.
After killing Pinnock, the men robbed the woman of several cellular phones and household items.
Shortly after, a 35-year-old maintenance man was driving along the Paisley main road when he was fired upon by attackers who the residents believe were the same group responsible for Pinnock’s murder.
PUBLIC PERCEPTION
Despite being hit in the barrage of gunfire, the brave mechanic kept on driving and managed to elude the gunmen. He was subsequently admitted in serious but stable condition at Falmouth Hospital in Trelawny.
A police source said he was troubled by the incident because it will create uncertainty in the minds of the public in their interactions with legitimate police officers.
“We will definitely be keeping the community under close surveillance because while all criminals are criminal, when we have them posing as police officers, it is another matter because of the potential to erode confidence in bona fide police,” the source said. “We will be investigating the matter with the hope of identifying these men and bringing them to justice.”
Despite being under a state of emergency since April 30, St James has recorded 128 murders this year. At least 88 guns have been seized.