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Collateral damage

Parents grieve as innocent son loses life in confrontation between cops and his brother

Published:Monday | June 5, 2023 | 12:40 AMJanet Silvera/Senior Gleaner Writer

WESTERN BUREAU:

As the smoke clears on the confrontation in Barrett town last Saturday afternoon, a tale of the good going down with the bad appears to be unfolding.

Twenty-four-year-old Javaughn Henry, a law-abiding deaf mute was killed along with his brother, 20-year-old Jadane Henry, and 35-year-old Nester ‘Zaddo’ Gallimore, who were both wanted for questioning regarding two recent double murders in Adelphi, St James.

Jadane, of Somerton, St James, and Gallimore, unemployed of Industry, Adelphi and Granville, St James, were reportedly guns-for-hire or contract killers responsible for several murders in the parish.

“His (Jadane) mother should have turned him in. She is responsible for the death of my innocent son, Javaughn. If I am wrong, I ask God to forgive me,” said a grief-stricken Kingsley Henry, father of the two boys.

However, his former common-law-wife, and mother of his five children, Jacqueline Brown, has rejected the claims. She said Jadane had never visited her home before last Saturday, and when she left Javaughn at home, he was on his tablet reading his Bible.

“He died while he was asleep on his belly. His Bible next to him,” said the distraught janitor, who recalled how she had still decided to leave even though she was late for her job on the fateful day.

“When I heard about the shooting, the first thing mi seh was, ‘Jesus Christ, a wonder if dem kill mi deaf pickney’.”

According to her, Javaughn did not “keep company” and was afraid of the police.

“Him read him Bible and watch movie on his tablet.”

Brown said that since she left her common-law-husband, Jadane had not visited.

Problem child

On the other hand, Kingsley Henry said his son, who got caught up in a life of crime and who stopped taking his calls after he begged him to turn himself over to the police, was always a problem child.

“Javaughn became collateral damage,” he argued.

Javaughn, who lived, with him in Somerton, St James, said he missed his mother, who resided in Barrett Town, and that’s how he ended up there.

“He was no gunman. He was not wanted by the police.”

Pained to speak of his 24-year-old son, the obvious burden of being a parent became evident as Kingsley Henry stated with conviction that he was not prepared to live in the same house with any child who took up the gun.

“I am no wrongdoer. I have never been involved in any wrongdoing, and two of my children are just gone like that.”

He said he grew up poor but made sure to provide a good education for his children, putting all of them through Muschette High School in Trelawny. None of his children were exposed to violence at home, however, Jadane, who reportedly became mixed up with St James’ ‘Most Wanted’ Gallimore, stopped attending classes at age 17.

“I told him, ‘Turn yourself in’, and he said, ‘Daddy, mi nuh involve in a nutten’. That was when he stopped taking my calls,” he stated, the presence of tears choking his every word.

Before his son became involved in the fast lane, Kingsley Henry, who works at a learning centre, said he tried to get him into a trade, but he was just not interested.

The three men were killed in a reported shoot-out with the police Saturday afternoon.

Reports are that members of the security forces, acting on intelligence, went to the home of the mother of the two brothers with the hope of apprehending Jadane Henry and Gallimore when they were fired on.

A shoot-out ensued, and the three were killed. The police say three firearms and ammunition were seized at the scene of the crime.

janet.silvera@gleanerjm.com