Woman killed in front her child

A heartless, bloodthirsty gunman murdered a woman as she stood with her 10-year-old son on Third Street in Trench Town, Kingston 12, yesterday.

At least 20 spent shells were found at the scene of the horrific killing -- the third in two days -- that has left residents of the war-torn area on edge. The child was not hurt.

The victim of yesterday's attack has been identified as Laphane Bent, a shopkeeper from the community. Reports from the Denham Town police are that at about 7:55 a.m., Bent was sitting in front of her shop when a man approached her and fired several shots, hitting her all over the body. She was taken to the hospital where she was pronounced dead.

A day earlier, 16-year-old Rasheeda Hall, a student of Charlie Smith High School, and 23-year-old Elvin James, were killed in the community.

Fever-pitch levels tension

The tension in the area was palpable and fear appeared to have reached fever-pitch levels yesterday when THE STAR visited the neighbourhood. Except for the police, there was hardly anyone walking on the streets. Shops and other small businesses were shut tight, and a few persons were observed peering through windows and over walls. A few of Bent's family members were in the process of exiting the troubled community. A relative of Bent's described her killer as wicked and cold-hearted.

"Inna mi bed mi deh and mi hear some shots, and mi a seh to myself say, 'No man, dem deh sound connect.' And den mi hear bare screaming, and when mi go outside mi see mi family lay down, bend up on the ground. She never duh nutten fi deserve dis. Di man dem wicked bad," the relative said.

"She out deh with a son a do har business and a man a guh run come kill har in front of her son like that. Is not like she stand up beside two badman and dem come fire and she dead. But dem kill her just like that," the grieving relative added.

The Kingston 12 area has been under siege for some time as men loyal to two rival gangs, Socks and Brooklyn, engage in what appears to be a never-ending war.

Senior Superintendent Michael Phipps, head of the Kingston Western Police Division, said that despite the best efforts of the lawmen, the criminals have been getting "unbelievable" protection from members of the community.