Grange Hill residents want state of emergency

Some residents of Grange Hill, Westmoreland, have been placing bottles and cans at their windows and doors at nights to alert them about intruders.

Fear has been gripping the blood-drenched western Westmoreland community since Tuesday night when inter-gang feuds escalated, resulting, in the murder of seven persons, including two children, and the injuring of eight others.

The victims have been identified as Joyan Myers of New Town; Tristan Brown of Top Lincoln district; and from Sterling district, Odane Drummond; Nadine Rowe; her 11-year-old son, Nicoy Bourne; Sheldon Morgan and his two-year-old son, Sheldon.

"Right now, as we speak, the house close up and a only one window open. In the nights me put bottles around the window so any little movement we hear," Jane Doe* told THE STAR yesterday.

Jane Doe* said people in Grange Hill are fearful as crime has taken over their once peaceful community. She is convinced that a state of emergency is needed there.

"Right now, all we have to do is stay off the street and hope and pray nothing happens to us. The number one question weh people a ask yah now: 'A who next'?" she said.

Doe said that robberies have always been taking place in the community but nothing of this nature has ever happened before. She added that the lack of trust for authority also contributes to the fear many people feel.

"I am scared for myself and my daughter. Right as we speak my pressure is high. The robbing and all of that was going on for a couple of months. But it was calm. To know that something has started yesterday and it so vicious, everybody shake up," she said.

"Me just hope the Government hear what is happening down here and declare it a state of emergency," she added.

Meanwhile, detectives from the Westmoreland Police Division yesterday listed five men as 'wanted'.

They are: Isaiah Perry, otherwise called 'Matthew Perry' or 'Cat' of Kings Valley, Grange Hill; Richard Hamilton, otherwise called 'Brutus' or 'Mad Move', of Paul Island district, Grange Hill; Haldane Hamilton, otherwise called 'Fishy' of Paul Island district, Grange Hill; Jeffery Ramdass, otherwise called 'Boogie', 30, of Paul Island district; and Burton Shearer, otherwise called 'Bap', 49, of Church Lincoln district, Grange Hill.

*Name changed to protect identity