St James men killed after refusing to give money to ‘lazy man’

Members of a St James community said that they are being terrorised by a young man who has been extorting them and issuing wild threats.

According to the residents, the young man has claimed to be a don.

"Every time him see yuh, him a demand money from you, and if you don't have it fi give him, him want shoot you," one resident said.

The startling revelations came yesterday, hours after two members of the community were murdered in York Bush, a district in Mount Carey, St James.

Two men, Henry Salmon, 64, a cooking gas operator of Mt Carey, and 56-year-old Gilbert Jackson, a cabinet maker of York Bush, were murdered in a gun attack.

Reports from the Anchovy police are that about 9 p.m., Salmon who owns a truck, was assisting Jackson to deliver a cupboard set to a customer. On reaching a section of York Bush, they were stopped by the alleged shooter who demanded money from them. One of the men reportedly told him that he does not give his money to lazy persons.

When his demands were not met, the gunman brandished a handgun and opened fire hitting both men multiple times. They died on the spot.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Eron Samuels, the officer in charge of operations in St James, said investigators are following some leads and "very shortly we will hold that person who is responsible".

At the same time, Homer Davis, member of parliament for South St James in which Mount Carey falls, said that he has heard about the manner in which the alleged attacker has been operating. He said that based on the information he has received, it appears Salmon and Jackson were killed because they refused to give the man the money he demanded.

"You see persons driving, you indicate to them to stop, you demand money, and the gentleman commented that I don't give lazy man my money, and that is what caused their demise," Davis said.

"I am going to make this appeal to the people who know this fellow to give the support that is required because based on my understanding, this is the third murder that is alleged to have been committed by this same fellow," Davis said.

Community members, meanwhile, are anxious for the alleged attacker to be taken off the streets. "If the police don't wul him, wi gwane wul him, and him better pray sey the police wul him before wi," an angry resident fumed.