Slain would-be hero dreamt of saving mother from inner city
Published:Tuesday | November 23, 2021 | 12:10 AMAinsworth Morris/Staff Reporter
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When Derran Wright saw his neighbour’s house inside Richie Lane on fire during the wee hours of Sunday morning, he was jolted into action and sought to help extinguish the blaze. Little did he know that it was an act of arson allegedly committed by...
When Derran Wright saw his neighbour’s house inside Richie Lane on fire during the wee hours of Sunday morning, he was jolted into action and sought to help extinguish the blaze.
Little did he know that it was an act of arson allegedly committed by gunmen some time after 1 a.m. in the community, located off Spanish Town Road.
After realising that it was a case of arson, the 20-year-old youth attempted to padlock his gate, but was shot. He died shortly after arriving at hospital.
Residents say that rival factions have turned Richie Lane into a war zone – with the lines of division between ‘Top’ and ‘Bottom’ marked by blood and bullets – in the community of Waterhouse.
Wright was one of a dozen people killed in a 24-hour span on the weekend, despite states of emergency in St Andrew South and six other police divisions. Murders are trending 10 per cent higher year-on-year.
On Monday, Wright’s mother, Marlene Richards, cried in despair that her last child would never achieve his dream of becoming a soldier and serving Jamaica, his homeland.
“Him go do the test, and he and his brother were working and waiting on the results,” Richards sombrely told The Gleaner.
“Words can’t explain; can’t bring him back. He’s my last child. Can’t bring him back.
Wright worked at food distributorship Chas E. Ramson as a sideman on trucks. He was described by his family as a jovial and helpful person.
Wright’s cousin, Amoy Harriott, knew, too, of his dreams of moving his mother from the inner-city community after becoming a soldier.
“Him try him best fi stay outa war and everything, and knowing the type of way he died, it tears everybody down. We try we very best, and fi know that we are not in certain type of violence with anyone, and to know that he was gunned down ... but we just have to be strong,” Harriott told The Gleaner.
After Wright was shot, another house was set on fire.
A resident disclosed that attempts were made to kill another male who saw the gunmen.
“Dem realise somebody in the house, so dem a try kick off fi him door now fi shoot him. Him haffi a use di things dem weh inna di house and bar di door. That is how dem nuh go in pan him fi shoot him,” she said.