Darling killers ‘well trained’ in firearm use – Bailey

The attackers who murdered noted architect Euhon Darling appear to have been “well trained or been exposed to some training in terms of firearms”, Deputy Commissioner of Police Fitz Bailey has said.

Bailey's theory on the 42-year-old's murder may have been based on the narrow radius of the bullet holes on the shattered windscreen of Darling's Nissan X-Trail motor vehicle in the Tuesday evening attack.

Darling died behind the steering wheel at the intersection of Cargill and Skibo avenues after he was shot repeatedly by men travelling on a motorcycle some time after 6:30 p.m.

His common-law partner, with whom he lived and shared two young children, told The Gleaner that she has been distraught since receiving the “terrible” news.

“He was like a person that was of a lot of things, but first for him was his architectural company. He did a lot of the buildings here in Kingston. There is 20 South, there is Parkhurst, there is so much,” the woman, who requested that her name not be published, said.

She said that she was shocked by the incident as Darling had not expressed to her any concerns relating to threats against his life.

“Based off what it looked like, it was evident that's what it was,” she said in reference to the contract-style murder.

Citing concerns about her safety, the woman said that she had not yet fully come to grips with the prospect of raising her children without their father.

She said that Darling was engaged in several projects.

His business partner and director of one of his companies, Damian Harrisingh, told The Gleaner that Darling was a good associate and person.

“He tried to help a lot of people. It rough. It mash up a lot of us, whole heap of people,” Harrisingh said.

They operated a farm under the aegis of Linstead Organic Limited for a few years.

Darling, according to Companies Office of Jamaica records, had directorships in at least two other businesses: Darling Darling Incorporated Limited and his brainchild, Virtuoso Concepts.

The social-media page of Virtuoso Architect Limited highlights some of the company's projects, including Hazeltine, Medinah 21, Surreal at The Sugamill, Norbrook Wasser, Sophons, Fontana Pharmacy, and Bert's Auto Parts.

The company also designed the building owned by retired track and field star Usain Bolt located along Half-Way Tree Road.

“In designing a structure that represents one of the greatest, we had to go big,” read a post under the image of the building bearing the world-famous signature pose of the fastest man on Earth.

The Caribbean School of Architecture at the University of Technology on Wednesday posted a picture of Darling and others on its Facebook page with the caption |CSA Staff and Alumni will miss you dearly”.

The Half-Way Tree Criminal Investigations Branch (CIB) is probing the killing.

In Tuesday's attack, the pillion rider allegedly opened gunfire, hitting Darling, resulting in the vehicle crashing into a wall.

The pillion rider reportedly fired again at the vehicle, hitting Darling several times.

He was pronounced dead at hospital.

A passer-by who was travelling along Cargill Avenue from work informed The Gleaner that he heard explosions but initially thought it to be noise from a motorcycle muffler.

But soon after, when he heard another round of explosions, he realised that they were gunshots.

“Mi think him lose control 'cause me see when the vehicle move off the road, so me wonder if him frighten, too,” he added.

“When me go up there and look at the windscreen, you know, is eight or nine bullet hole in [it].”

Deputy Commissioner Fitz Bailey, who is in charge of the crime portfolio, told The Gleaner that the police have not yet determined the motive.

“We are looking at at least one theory, but I am not going to speak on that as yet. We have not yet conclusively determined the motive for his killing,” Bailey said Wednesday.

The senior cop said that he was unaware of any threats against the architect's life.

“What is competitive about architectural work? We have a lot of architects in Jamaica, so I don't know what would have caused known threats. If developers went into bad deals, then just like any other people who engage in transactions with unscrupulous people, then … ,” he said.

The St Andrew Central Police Division, where the killing took place, recorded one murder up to January 29.

That represented an 87.5 per cent decline in murders in the division.

The police reported a 37 per cent dip in murders nationally.

Ninety-one people were murdered in January.