RSS Feed
Email Newsletter
Star YouTube Channel
A 90-year-old bedridden blind woman on Saturday night became the latest victim in what the police say is a feud between rival gangs in Newlands, Portmore, St Catherine.
About 10:50 p.m., gunmen invaded the community and opened fire at three houses along Hardware Lane. Before leaving, they reportedly set fire to the one-room house of senior citizen, Inez Brown. The fire brigade and the police were alerted and one unit from the Waterford Fire Department responded and carried out cooling down operations.The charred remains of the senior citizen were removed from the razed building.
One resident told THE STAR that Brown had been bedridden for the last five years. He said, Brown was mostly confined to her home because of her lack of vision and was not a threat to anyone.
Residents believe Brown's gruesome and untimely death may, in some way, be connected to a murder that happened in the community on Friday. In that incident, a 22-year-old man was shot dead.
Earlier reports are that about 5 a.m., Don Richard Carbett, a newspaper vendor, was at home when gunmen kicked open the door to the house. It is alleged that the intruders were searching for another man. They, however, did not find their target, but reportedly shot Carbett when he attempted to escape. He died on the spot.
Another resident, who did not wish to be named, gave THE STAR a clearer idea of the state of the community. She explained that rival gangs have been feuding for years. This, she said, has divided the community preventing residents from one side from going to the other side and vice versa. She emphasised that the streets are vacant at nights as residents are fearful.
Head of the St Catherine South Division, Superintendent Marlon Nesbeth, told THE STAR that the police suspect Brown's death was linked to Friday's murder. He said although he could not say that this was definitively the case, information received so far, points in this direction.
He, too, made reference to the gang feud in the area, saying: "There is an ongoing feud between rival gangs in that community, the most known of which is the Umbrella Gang." He explained that thugs from this gang are often at odds with members of the Uprising Gang. He said police believe something must have happened recently to get the war started once more.
The top cop said there was no evidence so far to suggest that Brown was in any way linked to the feud, but said her house is located in an area that would be targetted by members of the Umbrella Gang.
He said the police were doing everything in their power to curtail the flare up, adding: "We are hunting these men, but it is proving difficult for us because some of them don't stay in the area and they are from all over the place, including the St Andrew South Division."
In the meantime, the Greater Portmore police are appealing to anyone who has any information on the attacks and murders to contact them at 949-8431, police 119 emergency numbers, Crime Stop at 311, Kingfish at 811 or the nearest police station
Brown is the second woman to be killed in the division within three days, following Thursday's murder of a businesswoman. Andrea Wright had just locked up her grocery shop about 6 p.m., when she was pounced upon by a group of gunmen who shot her.
