Fear grips Naggo Head
Published:Wednesday | July 14, 2021 | 12:12 AMRuddy Mathison/Gleaner Writer
A 48-hour curfew imposed in Naggo Head, Portmore, since 6 p.m. Monday has not calmed the fears of residents, who believe that more violence will arise from two killings on the weekend.
In the first attack, 69-year-old Paulette Brown of West Bank, Naggo Head, was brutally killed in the early hours of Saturday morning when assailants kicked her door in and shot her multiple times.
This was followed by what residents alleged to be a reprisal on Sunday about 2 p.m. at premises along Newland Road in which 33-year-old Kadian Bennett was also shot multiple times in the upper body. Both were pronounced dead at hospital.
Residents say he was not the intended target.
The attacks triggered a call from residents for increased police visibility. The curfew will run until Wednesday at 6 p.m.
With the curfew in effect Tuesday, most householders expressed reservations about speaking to the media and those willing did so on condition of anonymity.
“People start to move out of the community because they are afraid,” said a neighbour of the now-deceased woman who is considering leaving the neighbourhood.
“Since the shooting of Miss Paulette, everybody ‘fraid. She didn’t have no problem with nobody. All now mi inna shock over it.”
Another person who said she knew Brown described her as a good Christian woman.
But of great concern for the resident is that attackers might return when the police pull out of the area.
A small-business operator reported only opening doors to the public because of the ongoing tension.
“I put my mattress on the floor at nights because I don’t know when a stray bullet will come through,” said the small-business operator.
The business person is considering moving out of the community.
Meanwhile, a resident with knowledge of the conflicts’ genesis theorised that the killing of Brown was linked to a don resident in the United States. More violence is anticipated.
The St Catherine North police said they are following some strong leads but will maintain a presence in the troubled community.
Murders have declined by 10 per cent, from 64 to 54, year-on-year up to July 13. Shootings have fallen from 57 to 36, a 37 per cent decrease.