Fleeing males murdered in Dunkirk

Two men who were shot dead yesterday on West Avenue in Dunkirk, east Kingston, were trying to move away from the area when gunmen attacked.

Lawmen cordoned off the area, with the moving truck still parked at the gate. Onlookers gathered in a nearby yard, their silence broken only by the mourning of a relative who sought solace in 'spirits' and a cigarette to cope with the loss of the men who were known as 'Yellow Man' and 'Benja'.

"There was a double murder in the Kingston Eastern division in the West Avenue area. After 12 this afternoon two men were shot and killed, the police responded to reports of explosions where they saw the men and took them to the Kingston Public Hospital (KPH) where they were confirmed to be dead," said Dennis Brooks, senior communications strategist of the Jamaica Constabulary Force.

The men's relative stood in disbelief as she was comforted by another woman, noting that the gruesome day marked the anniversary of her mother's death.

"Mi shoulda deh a mi madda grave a paint her headstone," she cried. ''Out a di seven pickney mi madda have, a one bredda mi have lef and this ago send him go a Bellevue."

Another onlooker, who is familiar with the family, said the men "shoulda tek sleep mark death".

"'Cause last year same day dem shoot up right at the gate and even Yellow Man did get shot, November di 8th. Now Yellow and Benja come dead pon the same day."

A woman told THE STAR that she hoped one of her relatives would assist her in moving out.

"The place tense. The other day everybody isolated 'cause them keep coming back. My expiry day come, mi nuh have money fi pay rent but mi just want somebody say mi a give you the first two month rent [free]," she said.