Peacemakers killed after parting fight

Residents in the quiet community of Spring Piece in Pimento Walk, St Ann, were plunged into mourning on Saturday night after two of their own were gunned down by unknown assailants.

The victims have been identified as 36-year-old mechanic and mason Devoy Webb, and a private in the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF), Leighton Sinclair. Residents described Webb and Sinclair as good friends who were respectable young men. It is alleged that both men were at an event when an altercation developed between other persons. Webb and Sinclair intervened and quashed the conflict. The event reportedly ended because of the fuss. Shortly after, approximately 11 p.m., residents heard explosions and called the police. On their arrival, they discovered the victims lying on the road with gunshot wounds. They were later pronounced dead at hospital.

During curfew hours

However, Linton Bailey, deputy superintendent of police in charge of crime for St Ann, told THE STAR that the police so far have no evidence that the men attended an event that night, which would have been during curfew hours.

Members of the JDF and the police were in the community on Sunday carrying out their respective investigations. One resident said he knew Sinclair from he was a boy.

“Mi know him from him a likkle baby, like say six years old come straight up an’ me never have no problem with him,” he said. “Right now mi speechless, mi nuh know wha fi say, mi jus’ mash up right now, weak out. We naw look say that would a happen to dem deh two man deh.”

Another resident said that when she first heard that two men had been killed, it never crossed her mind that the victims were Webb and Sinclair.

“Them a good youth, that’s the thing. It’s not like we know them as troublemakers, or anybody making a contention every day. Hard-working youth wha go out every day, mi never hear them mouth meet with anybody. That a the thing, no arguments, no disagreements with anybody,” she said.