Maxfield Avenue tense after teen’s murder

Comarsha Lesley Sr, a resident of Maxfield Avenue in St Andrew, is imploring the relevant authorities to embed members of the security forces who are familiar with the embattled space, following the slaying of his teenage son Comarsha ‘Daniel’ Lesley Jr, just footsteps away from their home.

The teenager’s death is just another chapter in the saga of violence that has been blanketing the area for years.

“The police are in the area but dem a drive up and down in jeep but mi would want dem to park the jeep dem and walk. There was this one police ‘round here who use to walk the area and keep the community quiet, but dem move him. You can’t see a man who a fight crime and move him because, when he was here, man used to fraid to touch dem gun,” he said.

According to police reports, at about 8:15 p.m. Sunday, residents reported hearing explosions and alerted the police. When the lawmen arrived, 18-year-old Lesley Jr was found laying in a pool of blood. He was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead. Another male, who Lesley said is a relative, was shot and injured. Lesley described his son as a well-mannered child who had big plans. He said the youngster’s mom died five years ago.

“Mi go for them a country and grow him until him a 18 and dem come kill mi son. Mi son just get him little work at a call centre and a wait to go on overseas to college. A work him a come from enuh,” he said. “Every day mi a cry, God know. Mi drink until it come in like mi don’t know myself.”

Lesley said he was watching television when he heard explosions. It never crossed his mind that his son was being shot.

“Mi run go to di gate an hear everybody a bawl out ‘Daniel’ and mi come see mi son out there lay down dead. When mi see mi son, is like mi life leave mi body. A mi one son and mi struggle with mi children dem from nutten to summen. Mi never even beat him yet,” Lesley said. On Wednesday, during a ‘three night’ prayer vigil, gunmen returned and sprayed the crowd with bullets, killing one man. He has been identified as Roger Brown.

“All a we sidung a drink and a easy mi self and mi just get up little and go inside mi house and mi hear di whole heap a gunshot dem, and, when mi come out, mi see bare people a run up and down. Di same man who was telling mi how mi son full a manners, dem killed. One a we female cousin who leave work and come, get shot in her foot as well. She could have lose her life too,” Lesley said.

The injured relative from the first shooting was evidently still traumatised. He laughed and joked initially, but burst into tears minutes later as he recalled that someone came through the gate wearing a ski mask.

“Mi start look across the road because mi know the place tense. Suh mi start wonder a wah and mi know mi cousin look round and mi hear ‘boom’ and mi hear mi cousin say ‘ahhhh’,” he said. He ran after hearing more explosions, but realised that he, too, was shot. He has been left with many questions.

“Mi and mi cousin a innocent youths. Mi work from Sunday to Sunday, mi leave mi house 8 a.m. every morning and mi nuh come back in until night. Weh uno hear say we do? Because we don’t do anything. Last night [Wednesday] mi at the three night and all mi could do a bawl because mi cousin never deserve this and is coulda the two a we three night dem a keep,” he said.