Two killed in Mount Salem ZOSO

The murder of two men in the Mount Salem zone of special operations (ZOSO) yesterday has left residents of the St James community clamouring for answers about how armed men managed to sneak below the radar of the security forces and carry out a daylight attack.

Twenty-eight-year-old Enel Downer, otherwise called 'Bowe', of Mount Salem Road, Gavin Mills, otherwise called 'Buttie', of Crawford Street in Mt Salem died after being shot by the hoodlums.

Reports from the police are that about 12:40 p.m., Mills and Downer were among a group of persons standing at the intersection of Crawford Street and Mount Salem main road when men, travelling in a white Toyota Axio motor car, opened gun fire hitting them.

Downer and Mills were taken to hospital where they were pronounced dead, while the other man was treated and admitted.

A ZOSO was declared in Mount Salem in September 2017. National security minister, Dr Horace Chang, recently told Parliament that there are no significant challenges" in the zone. He said that there has been a reduction in all major crimes, including murder, in Mount Salem.

However, residents yesterday told THE STAR that the presence of members of the security forces has not been enough to keep marauding gunmen at bay.

"The youths inna the area are trying their best to stay away from crime, but they are living in fear as on numerous occasions armed men have managed to evade the ZOSO patrols, slip under police radar, and carry out deadly attacks within our community," one business operator told THE STAR.

"This is not the first case, or second case where youths are being killed within the ZOSO, and this does not look good, because these youths are depending on the security forces to play their part," he added.