Kind pineapple farmer gunned down after party

The Westmoreland police say they have not yet established a motive surrounding the shooting death of a popular pineapple farmer, and the shooting and wounding of six other persons at a jerk centre in the Bridgewater community on Sunday.

The deceased has been identified as 38-year-old Lasharoo 'Lenky' Shaw, of Belfont in St James. His mother Sheron Anderson said he was a decent community member, who many considered to be a good Samaritan.

"Everybody talk highly about him, very trying, love to help. If him no have it, him nuh have it, but from once him have it, him gwan give it to you," Anderson said.

One alleged eyewitness told THE STAR that he was still trembling in shock, and could not believe Shaw was dead.

"Is like the party over, an' all a wi deh yah a build a vibes, an Lenky dem a check off di money wha dem mek. Next ting wi see the white car pull up an' the man dem jump out an start beat pure shot," the person said. "Every man start run fi dem life. Mi frighten till mi run pass one a di man dem, but it look like him neva did have any gun or else mi wud a dead right yah now. A dung inna the gull mi run go hide."

The person added, "Lenky a real man inna the area. Him a nuh scammer, him a nuh gunman. Him just do him mason work and plant him pineapple, an' a nuff youth him sen' go school inna the area."

Reports by the Westmoreland police are that about 9:30 a.m., Shaw, who had hosted a party at the venue on Saturday night, and other men were carrying out auditing of the event when a white Toyota motor car drove up. Three men alighted from the vehicle and opened fire at the group, hitting Shaw and six other persons multiple times. The gunmen escaped in the waiting motor car. The police were summoned and upon arrival, the seven persons were discovered suffering from gunshot wounds. They were rushed to hospital, where Shaw was pronounced dead, and the injured treated and admitted.

Shaw is the third person to be killed in Westmoreland since a state of public emergency was declared last week. On Thursday, 29-year-old Romario Dillion of Fullersfield in Grange Hill, was shot and killed about 1:30 p.m., while 26-year-old Odaine Brooks, of Broughton district, was shot and killed in his community about 7:30 p.m.