Guard murdered in failed robbery

A security guard who tried to escape armed robbers who were chasing and firing shots at the car in which he was transporting money, was shot and killed along Barnett Street, in Montego Bay, yesterday.

The dramatic chase and shooting, which caused scores of pedestrians to take cover, ended with the private security guard, 63-year-old Lloyd Johnson, dead, slumped around the steering wheel of the car with multiple gunshot wounds.

The robbers fled without taking the money or the licensed firearm he had in his possession.

"Man, shot beat like we inna one cowboy show ... a de first me ever see people run suh," said a man, who dropped to the ground as the car chase unfolded before him. "Dem shotta bwoy yah brave. De 'Bay pack up a police and soldier and dem still a do road inna broad daylight."

While praising the bravery of the slain security guard, many persons questioned the seemingly slow response of the security forces, who, despite being early on the scene, failed to create a cordon to trap the gangsters before they escaped.

"Too much soldier and police inna de town fe something like dis happen and de robber dem escape," said a bystander. "Dis big state of emergency nuh mek no sense. De criminal dem nuh fraid a dem."

According to reports, at about 9:30 a.m., Johnson, an employee of a popular Montego Bay-based cambio, was transporting an undetermined sum of cash from Upper Barnett Street towards the cambio, located on lower Barnett Street, when a car with several men brandishing handguns, pulled alongside his vehicle and tried to get him to stop.

Johnson sped off and the men began chasing him, peppering the car with bullets. On reaching the vicinity, the guard crashed into a Toyota Noah bus. The chasing gangsters shot him multiple times before speeding away, without managing to take the money was carrying.

After the killers fled, a large crowd, including security personnel, gathered around the vehicle to look at Johnson's bullet-riddled body. The scene was processed by the police.

"We are deeply saddened by this incident and our hearts goes out to Mr Johnson's family," a representative of the cambio said. "It is our hope that these heartless killers will be caught."