Hearse driver killed in gun attack

A hearse driver who carried the body of a woman for a viewing on Waltham Park Road in St Andrew was murdered yesterday.

Micheal Bent, a driver employed to Tranquillity Funeral Home, was struck by a bullet and later succumbed to his injuries at hospital. A 17-year-old boy was also murdered.

Reports are that at about 10:40 a.m, four men riding on two motorcycles entered the community and fired wildly before making their escape.

Tennyson Cornwall, funeral director at Tranquility, said Bent was not the target of the attack.

"The incident was unrelated to the funeral. He had stopped in the area and was having a drink. I am very distraught. He was one of our best employees. Everyone is saddened," Cornwall said.

The teen was unidentified up to press time yesterday. However, THE STAR understands that he was a resident of a nearby community, who had gone to the area to visit family on Waltham Park Road.

Meanwhile, residents yesterday struggled to come to grips with the daring shooting.

PLAYING MUSIC

"A some wild thing dem come pan and people dead. Nuff house shot up and vehicles damaged. Dem start fire at the front of the lane and ride through and fire up a bag a shot. A long time dem ting yah nuh gwan yah suh, so we want know what this for," one resident said.

Another resident told THE STAR that the hearse was playing music, which impact the ability of persons to hear the gunshots as they rang out close by.

"The woman dead so dem bring her body here before dem go country for the funeral. She a bury with her son and this crosses yah come happen. The people dem a signal say shot a fire but the hearse a play gospel music and dem nah hear. Some say dem think a di bike dem weh backfire and sound like gunshot," a man told THE STAR.

The St. Andrew Central police are investigating.