40 PEOPLE MARKED FOR DEATH? - Gregory Park residents say triple murder will lead to reprisal killings

While not corroborating word on the street that a massacre is slated for Gregory Park, St Catherine, following the triple murder of members of the Umbrella gang operating out of Newlands, also in the parish, the police say they will continue to maintain a heavy presence in the community to avoid any flare-ups.

THE STAR has obtained information from members of the Gregory Park community that word on the street is that 40 persons from the community are marked for death, as reprisal for the December 9 triple murder of Paul Parchment, Durrant Miller and John Lyttle, who were all believed to be top-tier members of the Umbrella gang.

However, Commander of the St Catherine South Division, Senior Superintendent Robert Bennett, told that THE STAR that while he has not receive information that there are threats on the lives of residents of Gregory Park, the police will continue to talk to members of the community about how to operate while they try to bring order to the area.

"We have not received information that persons are listed to be killed, but we have gone to the community and we have met with members of the community and sensitised the community about the threats that the community might be facing, based on the police intelligence," Bennett said.

Parchment, Miller and Lyttle were murdered in a section of Gregory Park, called Gulf.

Bennett said that the structure of that section of the community makes it very difficult to police.

unknown assailants

"The development is very hard to police because there are no lights and there are just dirt tracks," Bennett said.

Last Saturday, 24-year-old Jeremiah Meyers was murdered by unknown assailants in the community at about 6:40 p.m. Reports from the police are that men went to a barbershop and opened fire. Meyers and a 15-year-old boy were rushed to the hospital where Meyers was pronounced dead. The teenager is still being treated.

But even with the latest killing after the police had already increased their presence in the area, Bennett believes that the police will maintain order in the community.

"Each day as we go through policing the area, we will make an assessment and also assess what our intelligence gives us. We will act accordingly to ensure that we have a safe community," Bennett said.