Gang feud allegedly spurred Waterford double murder

A long-standing feud between rival gangs is said to be behind the shooting in the Trelawny West area of Waterford, Portmore, St Catherine, on Sunday, that resulted in the death of two persons and the injuring of another man.

In Sunday's shooting, which occurred about 5:30 p.m., Jason Ivy, 43, of a Greater Portmore address, was shot multiple times by men who approached him on foot while he was having drinks with friends celebrating his birthday. Leteria Johnson, 69, who was celebrating with Ivy, and another man were also shot. Ivy and Johnson were pronounced dead at the Spanish Town Hospital while the other man was admitted in serious but stable condition.

Ivy's mother Monica Desouza, who had just offered him his birthday dinner less than 30 minutes before his demise, said she was wary of her son hanging out in Waterford.

"He just came over to visit us on his birthday. He even said to me that he wasn't going to be hanging around because he didn't like the vibes in the area. I told him to follow his mind but he decided to stop and celebrate with some friends at the corner of his aunt's house," the distraught mother told THE STAR.

"I was with him for a brief while and I left and came around to my house not far from where he was. I sat down for few minutes and then decided to take a shower when I heard a whole heap a shot, and shortly after I heard he was lying on his back dead," she added. Desouza, a mother of three, said Ivy was her only son.

Johnson, who had been living in the community for two years, was described by neighbours as being a very jovial person who got along with everyone. Her son Marvin Miller told THE STAR that he was in shock when he got the news.

"She is a nice lady and she don't deserve to die this way. From I got the news I have not eaten anything; it is sad," he lamented.

One eyewitness said that Ivy seemed to have known his killers because upon seeing them, he said "A what this pon mi now?" while making attempts to alert Johnson and the other man.

Head of the St Catherine South Police Division, Senior Superintendent Christopher Phillips, said the police will be attempting to ensure that there are no further escalations in the community, which is known for its volatility, but has been experiencing relative calm for years.