Soldier slain in St Andrew

Glenroy Sinclair, Assignment Coordinator

When Tursha Lambert Lee bid his relatives goodbye yesterday morning then headed off for the bus stop on Washington Boulevard, St Andrew, neither he nor his family members knew it was the last time they would be seeing each other.

The 24-year-old Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) soldier was attacked and killed by gunmen at the bus stop. His killers, who are suspected to be from the Maverley community, thought he was a resident of Drewsland in Waterhouse, St Andrew.

The two communities, Drewsland and Maverley, are involved in a bloody feud, which has claimed several lives over the past three months.

visiting family

Reports are that Private Lee, who is originally from Morgans Pass in Clarendon, had gone to visit his sister in Drewsland, where he slept over. It is believed that the gunmen thought the JDF soldier was a resident of that community.

"The shooting took place at 6:55 a.m. Some names have been called and we are now conducting our investigation," Deputy Superintendent Lennox Harper, of the St Andrew South Police Division, told The Gleaner yesterday.

A report from the Constabulary Communication Network said Private Lee was attached to the Military Training Wing, New Castle, St Andrew. The report further said the soldier had been shot several times and later died on the spot.

While extending condolences to his family, a release from the JDF said the young soldier served as a member of the Combat Support Battalion. He enlisted in the JDF in June 2007. He became the third member of the security forces killed by gunmen since the start of the year.