Two killed in movie-like shooting

Burnside Valley in Red Hills, St Andrew, was like a scene out of a cowboy movie yesterday as two men, who reportedly came into the usually quiet community firing shots, were shot dead.

The deceased have been identified as Theo Bailey and Quwayne Lee. Another man, who was not identified, was injured in the shooting. When THE STAR visited the community, a senior police officer told the news team that both men were killed after they shot and injured another man in the community. The incident took place shortly after 9 a.m. "What we understand is that the deceased men came to the injured man's workplace and started firing shots at him and chased him. The injured man ran towards his house, and they chased him and kicked off his door. We are not sure what happened after, but we understand that a relative got involved and retaliated and shot both men," the policeman said. When the shooting subsided, the injured man was transported to the hospital, where he was treated.

Lee's mother wept openly when she showed up at the crime scene and saw her son's body.

"Fada, what have I ever done so wrong Jesus?" she wailed. "Quwayne, why yuh lie down inna dirt? Look pon mi pickney Fada God. Quwayne please get up and come. Mi pray fi God cover mi pickney dem but it come like God block him ears from mi. Fada God why yuh do this to mi?"

According to Lee's mother, her 21-year-old son had plans of joining his father in Canada. She last saw him and the other deceased man on Saturday when they visited her home and did some repairs to her roof. She said that she pleaded with him to come and live with her and his younger siblings, but he rejected the offer.

"Mi pickney anuh troublemaker and yuh haffi trouble him fi him trouble yuh. Father, mi left everything in your hands and memba mi tell yuh say, mi alone nah weep God," she added.

- S.M.L.