Infant shot in deadly St James drive-by attack
Published:Thursday | September 15, 2022 | 12:11 AMHopeton Bucknor/Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
A three-year-old boy, who was among four persons shot on Tuesday in a drive-by attack that claimed two lives in Goodwill, St James, has been released from the hospital.
The deceased have been identified as 38-year-old former St James cricketer and recording artiste Vinroy ‘Ming Dezle’ Crooks, of Content district, St James, and 33-year-old businessman Keniel ‘Bobby’ Llewellyn, of Goodwill.
A fourth victim, a 56-year-old hotel worker, remains hospitalised in a critical condition.
Reports from the Adelphi police are that shortly after 2;45 p.m., Crooks and Llewellyn were among a group of people standing outside a small grocery shop in a section of Goodwill called Culvert when a grey Toyota Premier motor car pulled up.
Three men armed with handguns reportedly alighted from the vehicle and opened fire at the group before going back inside the car and speeding away.
The small child, who was in his mother’s arms inside the store, suffered a bullet wound to one of his legs.
The hotel worker, Crooks and Llewellyn were also discovered hit.
All four victims were rushed to hospital, where Crooks and Llewellyn were pronounced dead and the other two persons admitted.
The boy was later treated and released.
CRICKETING PROWESS
Adolphus Crooks spoke glowingly of the cricketing exploits of his son, who have been invited to national trials on several occasions.
“Him was a good all-round cricketer. Mi watch him lick six boundaries straight backa one another at Content playing field. Him lick ball which all now nobody nuh find it. Him also bowl ball bruck a wicket, which mi supposed to still have down a yard yah,” the senior Crooks said of the St James High School past student.
“Him play fi teams inna St James, fi St James, and him even play fi Jamaica,” the father added.
George Llewellyn, the father of the other deceased man, said his son was one of the most outstanding members of the community.
“Good boy, good boy. Good boy to his father, good boy around his community Give no trouble,” he said. “Mi just have fi try and cope with the situation because mi cannot do better.”
Crooks and Llewellyn are victims of the second double murder in St James this week.
Their deaths bring the St James murder count since the start of the year to 150.