Streetside killing stokes new fears for Kingston’s homeless

Hilroy Anderson and Berris Thomas, two homeless men living on the streets of Kingston, wished they had other alternatives than the cold concrete sidewalks or benches at the Kingston Public Hospital (KPH) to sleep at night.

Safety is a major concern for both men, who are haunted by the fear of night-time attacks on the homeless, with at least nine killed in the last 20 months.

The latest victim was Lionel Johnson, who was pronounced dead at KPH after he was set ablaze at the western Heroes Circle in Kingston as he slept.

Thomas, who is based at Hanover Street near the Marie Atkins Night Shelter, told The Gleaner that he wants somewhere to live. He is hopeful of being gifted a plot of land some day.

“Sometimes up a Public me go and sleep at night-time. Dem nah trouble you up there,” he said.

Thomas has been homeless for three years and said he left his home on Regent Street in Kingston because of a family feud over land left by his parents.

His mother died in 2008.

He is aware of Johnson’s demise and is conscious that people will hurt the vulnerable.

“People fling stone after you and take it for all joke,” he said.

Anderson, who is also known as ‘Sweetie Man’, was familiar with Johnson, whom he saw from time to time.

He, too, is fearful of the future. He has been homeless since 1991.

“It is my intention to come off the road,” Anderson said.

Anderson, who is from east Kingston, told The Gleaner that a lack of love from his parents pushed him to fend for himself.

Four homeless men were killed in a night of terror in January 2021. A fifth died later that month.

The police reported that the suspect was killed some time after but Anderson believes that another suspect, who is also homeless, still walks the streets.

“He is still alive. I heard that he was killed by the police but I see him since. He is a deportee, too. Him don’t trouble anybody,” Anderson said.

He was convinced an incident may have triggered the actions of the suspect who targeted his victims.

Anderson said he shuns the shelter because some fellow homeless folk are dishonest.

“The people dem at the shelter are very ungrateful and cannot tame. They rob each other. Homeless rob homeless, dog a eat dog.

“Most of us in this predicament have this one thing in common. We are very unthankful, both the male and female,” said Anderson.

Attempts to speak with an administrator at Marie Atkins Night Shelter were unsuccessful. A security guard at the facility relayed to the media that she was in a meeting and was unavailable for comment.

A $500,000 reward is being offered by the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development for information leading to the arrest of Johnson’s killer/s.

Johnson was well known to the Kingston and St Andrew Poor Relief Department, which regularly supported him by providing food. At times he stayed at the night shelter at Church Street.

Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Desmond McKenzie and Mayor of Kingston Delroy Williams have condemned the murder of Johnson.

Jamaica’s homeless population is in excess of 2,000, with at least half of that number in the Corporate Area.