Man shot dead holding baby daughter in arms

Two men are dead after gunmen shot six people, including the infant daughter of one of the deceased, in the Hendon area of Norwood, St James, on Wednesday night.

The deceased have been identified as 31-year-old Delano Christie, otherwise called ‘Weddy’, a shopkeeper of Hacca Street in the community, and 26-year-old Jordain Brown, otherwise called ‘Odane’, an unemployed resident of the area.

Christie’s nine-month-old daughter, a 48-year-old construction worker, a 23-year-old man and another 25-year-old construction worker – all of Hacca Street – were shot and injured.

Reports are that, about 8:15 p.m., patrons were at a shop operated by Christie along Hacca Street when two armed men approached them and opened gunfire before fleeing the area on foot.

When the shooting subsided, it was discovered that the five men and the infant, who was in her father’s arms, were shot.

The victims were taken to the hospital where Christie and Brown were pronounced dead and the others admitted.

The Gleaner understands that the infant, who sustained gunshot wounds in the regions of her shoulder and abdomen, has been showing signs of recuperating. The three hospitalised males were in stable condition up to Thursday afternoon.

Brown’s mother, Donna Barker, told The Gleaner that her son was not a troublemaker.

“He is just a jovial person, kind to everybody. Him don’t give no trouble,” Baker said.

“Dem just out a di shop playing ludo and domino and dem just come shoot up the shop,” the grieving mother added. “Seven children mi have. It just come in like a him a mi washbelly (youngest child). Him don’t give no trouble.”

Several murders have taken place in Norwood despite the area being declared a zone of special operations several months ago with a heightened presence of the security forces. A state of emergency has also been in place in St James since Tuesday.

At least 185 people have been murdered in the parish so far this year.

hopeton.bucknor@gleanerjm.com