Mountain View hot as residents, security forces clash - Unidentified man killed, soldier injured

Residents of the often volatile Mountain View community in Kingston say that although the area has been calm for months, yesterday's confrontation with members of the security forces which led to the death of a community member, has left them outraged.

"Nuh ongoing violence nah gwan in a Mountain View fi years now, even the police dem a say it. Fi years now and everybody happy an' a live good, every side, every community pan Mountain View a live good," one resident said.

"People a guh deh inna rage now. Wi nuh know wah guh happen because a di end a di day, yuh kill people innocent and yuh kill people friend, them a guh angry and who nuh indulge inna certain things, dem a guh rebel."

The confrontation occurred early Monday, as a joint security forces team went into the community in search of Demar Williams, also called 'Demon', 'Baby Killa', or 'Kye Kye'. In a statement, the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) said that Williams is one of the eight prisoners who escaped from the Black River lock-up in St Elizabeth in June. The JCF said lawmen received reports that he was hiding out in the community.

However, when the security forces got to the community, the JCF said they were fired on by "threat forces" which resulted in a soldier and an unidentified man being shot. But residents say that he is innocent.

"Them come kill the boy innocent inna him sleep, inna him sleep them come kill di bwoy," the resident said.

However, Deputy Superintendent Steve Forrest said the police entered the premises with warrants to search the location when they were confronted by men.

"We came with our warrants and the men opposed the police in trying to apprehend them. The information is one man was shot and injured. He was taken to Kingston Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead," Forrest said.

But residents say that they were treated in a brutal manner by the security forces. One man, who said he was hit in the face by a soldier, told THE STAR that he came out of his house to observe what was happening after he heard about the shooting.

"Di people dem outside suh dem [the soldiers] a run dem in and di people dem a tell dem seh a dem yard dem deh. Suh mi a walk now ... and mi just feel mi self deh a grung. Mi only see when the soldier a lift up him rifle," the man recounted. He added that after being hit, he fell to the ground and became disorientated. He said he was unable to get up or open his eye.

"Mi fren madda, a just fi har voice mi a hear a call mi name. A she seh 'Rush him guh to hospital, rush him to the hospital'," he said. One woman said that a soldier grabbed her by her hair.

"Mi stand up a video and dem out here suh. Police dem deh in a di middle a di road and one bottle fling pan the left hand side. Dem run come in, haul mi by mi hair seh a me fling di bottle, dem drag mi pan di grung and have mi like a dog," she said.