Seven guns, including two rifles, seized in St James
Published:Friday | April 5, 2024 | 12:10 AMAdrian Frater/Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
SENIOR SUPERINTENDENT Vernon Ellis, whose tenure as police commander for St James will end this weekend, seems to be making one more powerful statement before he leaves as in his latest initiative to rid the parish of illegal firearms, seven guns, inclusive of two rifles, have been seized in four days.
In the latest seizure yesterday, a joint police-military team carried out a targeted raid in the volatile Katan Lane section of Mt Salem. During their search of several properties, two new assault rifles, four magazines, and a quantity of ammunition were seized.
One man, identified as Adorno ‘Deno Grim’ Burnett, who was reportedly wanted by the police for crimes committed in the parish, was apprehended.
Ellis, who has been spearheading many of the latest operations, was in a buoyant mood yesterday, telling The Gleaner that while he will be leaving St James next week to take up duties in Area Two, he will keep going after the criminals until his last minute in the parish.
“We believe every single illegal firearm should be taken off the streets of the parish because that is the only way we can have a meaningful reduction in murders and make St James safe for law-abiding citizens,” said Ellis, who has been the St James commander for the past six and a half years. “I have given this parish my very best effort, and based on the success so far this week, I am happy to be going out with a bang.
“When I came here [in 2017], the parish had just recorded 342 murders in a year. It was reduced to 102 in my first year because I was determined that with the support of my team and the stakeholders in the parish, we had to find a way to stop the criminals from overrunning the parish,” said Ellis. “What has been accomplished this week is good, but it is also an indication that more needs to be done.”
The first weapon was seized at the Aqua Sol Theme Park in Montego Bay early Monday morning while another weapon was seized later in the day in Industry District. On Wednesday, during a targeted operation carried out by a police-military team and officers from the Caribbean Search Centre in Peace View, near Albion, two 9mm pistols, one Springfield and a Beretta; and a Remington shotgun with eight 12-gauge cartridges, along with 28 9mm cartridges, were seized.
In the seizure at the Aqua Sol Theme Park, which occurred approximately 12:20 a.m., 26-year-old Kenroy Gayle, 28-year-old Shaquille Williams, and 19-year-old Tian Blake were accosted at the Aqua Sol Theme Park and the firearm allegedly found in their possession. All three were arrested and charged.
In the second seizure on Monday, approximately 1:30 p.m., the police, responding to reports of a shooting in Industry District, accosted three men who were travelling on a motorcycle. The two pillion riders jumped from the motorcycle and ran off into nearby bushes while the rider spun the motorcycle around and sped away. In a subsequent search of the area, a Taurus pistol with the serial number erased was found.
In yesterday’s seizure in Mt Salem, a police-military team went into Katan Lane approximately 12:30 p.m. and searched several properties. During the search ,the two rifles were found and Burnett was arrested.