Mom in dismay after son killed on Christmas Day

Elina Walker had just returned home from her annual family reunion on Christmas Day in Point Hill, St Catherine, when she received news that her 30-year-old son, Michael Lawrence, had been shot dead in Banbury, Linstead.

Walker told The Gleaner that her son, otherwise called ‘Quinty’ or ‘Esko’, from Byndloss in Linstead, should have been at the reunion as well. Instead, he had accompanied a friend to a cockfight on Sunday afternoon.

“Him (the friend) seh same as the fight finished, him step towards the car door fi go open di car door fi go in and him just see two man step out inna black hoodie and seh, ‘Nuh move’, and one a dem fire di first shot and him took off … run,” she said.

According to reports, at approximately 8:30 p.m on Sunday, residents heard loud explosions coming from an area known as Canal in Banbury and called the police.

Upon their arrival, the cops found Lawrence’s bullet-riddled body slumped over the steering wheel of his motor vehicle.

He was transported to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Head of the St Catherine North Police, Senior Superintendent Howard Chambers, told The Gleaner that investigations are ongoing and no motive has been established for the murder. He is appealing to anyone with any information to report it to the police.

“Anything you know about this, please call the police,” he said, adding that Lawrence, who worked as chef, was not on the police’s radar.

Bemoaning the loss of her fifth child, Walker hailed him as resourceful person, who was respected by his community.

“He was a little guy that do everything. Him used to sell clothes in Falmouth, sell in Linstead. If him uncle going on the construction site and him not working, him go wid him uncle pon di construction site. Him used do security, and after him leave the security work, him get di work inna di cookshop,” she said.

The 62-year-old single mother said she was very close to her son.

“Mi more close to them more than anything else because mi grow dem without a father, and even though dem a big man, dem still deh ‘round mi same way,” she said.

Lawrence, a former student of the Bog Walk High School, was also said to be a devoted father to his one-year-old daughter.

She does not believe her son was targeted, although she was informed that after his killing, there were men searching for him.

She is hoping that the police will find the killer, even as she remains resolute in overcoming her grief for the sake of her grandchild.

sashana.small@gleanerjm.com