Five persons killed in four shootings

As gunmen continue to create mayhem and terror across St James and Westmoreland, nine persons were shot, five fatally, in four separate incidents across the parishes within 12 hours on Wednesday.

The deceased have been identified as: Crissanti Wilson, 25, shop operator of Saigon in Barrett Town, St James; her common-law husband, who has so far only been identified as 'Shabba'; 23-year-old Orlando Evans and 34-year-old Winston Casanova, both of Negril addresses in Westmoreland; and a man known only as Smith.

The bloodletting started at 12:10 a.m. at Saigon while Wilson and her spouse were asleep. Armed men gained entry to their house through a window and shot the couple multiple times. The police were summoned and upon arrival, both victims were discovered with multiple gunshot wounds in bed. They were taken to the Cornwall Regional Hospital where they were pronounced dead.

About 9 a.m., Evans and Casanova were among a group of persons at a bar in Red Ground, Negril, when men travelling in a motor car drove up. The men brandished handguns and opened gunfire hitting Casanova and Evans, as well as another man and a woman. The gunmen then sped away in the waiting motor car. The victims were rushed to the Savanna-la-Mar Hospital where Casanova and Evans were pronounced dead and the other victims treated and admitted. While still processing the scene, the police were again summoned to another killing in Grange Hill, where one man was shot and killled and another shot and injured about 10:30 a.m.

The mayhem did not stop there as about an hour and a half later, more gunshots were heard in Gratto, Savanna-la-Mar. The police went to investigate, and one man was discovered suffering from gunshot wounds. He was rushed to the Savanna-la-Mar Hospital where he was treated and admitted in serious condition.

Since the start of the year, 143 persons have been killed in St James and 103 persons have been killed in Westmoreland.