IN JAMAICA: 12-y-o and 28 y-o among two killed as gunmen attack residents in West Kgn A night of terror....."Dem kill me son! Why dem tek way me baby?" cried Claudette Matthews, mother of Kawayne 'Timo' McNuff, the 12-year-old victim who lived at Breadnut Lane. His nine-year-old brother was also injured by the gunmen's bullets.... "The man dem just come inna the area an' start fire shot at anybody dem see,".... "Dem even kick down a three-year-old baby as dem attack the people dem,"

BY KIMMO MATTTHEWS Sunday Observer staff reporter matthewsk@jamaicaobserver.com  Sunday, April 06, 2014    

A 12-year-old boy and a 28-year-old man were shot dead late Friday by gunmen who subjected residents of a section of West Kingston to a night of terror.

Ten other persons were injured in the brutal attack on a group of persons standing at the intersection of Chestnut Lane and Charles Street about 8:30 pm.

Claudette Matthews cries yesterday as she tries
 to fathom why gunmen shot dead her
12-year-old son Friday night.

"Dem kill me son! Why dem tek way me baby?" cried Claudette Matthews, mother of Kawayne 'Timo' McNuff, the 12-year-old victim who lived at Breadnut Lane. His nine-year-old brother was also injured by the gunmen's bullets.

The 28-year-old man who was killed was identified as Ricardo Lowe.

"The man dem just come inna the area an' start fire shot at anybody dem see," said one woman.

"Dem even kick down a three-year-old baby as dem attack the people dem," said another woman.

Yesterday, Police Commissioner Owen Ellington, who visited the community, reacted with anger to the brutal attack.

"I am very angry for a number of reasons; one of them is that police and citizens have been working in recent times to restore peace in the area, but there are certain elements strongly opposed to the efforts," Ellington said, adding that the police would be resolute in their response to the attack.

Member of parliament Desmond McKenzie, who also visited the community, urged police to leave no stone unturned in bringing the perpetrators of the crime to justice.

McKenzie said the death of the child brought to eight the number of children shot dead by criminals since violence erupted between warring factions in 2012.

He also said the nine-year-old, who remains in hospital battling for his life, was the 31st child shot and injured by criminals over the period.

Claudette Matthews, whose 12-year-old
son was killed by gunmen Friday night,
is consoled by member of parliament
Desmond McKenzie while Police
Commissioner Owen Ellington (left),
Assistant Commissioner of Police
 George Quallo (second left)
and residents look on.

But even as police and soldiers increased their presence in the area, residents said they have been on edge as criminals have been walking through the communities telling people to take sides.

"Dem come an' a ask you to support dem. If you don't support dem they will kill you," said one woman.

She was among a group of people who spoke in hushed tones as police and soldiers combed the community.

"The last man dem hold two weeks ago in the area and ask him which side him on, the man say Jesus and a shoot dem shoot him and kill him," another resident told the Jamaica Observer.

Yesterday, head of the division, Superintendent Steve McGregor, who accompanied the police commissioner on the visit, warned that the police would not leave the area until law and order was restored.

He also denied claims that the violence had derailed efforts being carried out by police and other groups to reach out to residents in communities in the division. more