Gunmen shoot up Chris Martin’s grandma’s wake

Phylis 'Aunt Mary' Brown was well loved and respected, not only in the community of Cudjoe Hill, St Catherine, where she resided, but also in nearby districts.

While being the grandmother of reggae singer Chris Martin added to her popularity, she gained her own stripes from being a former pastor and evangelist of Pedro Church of God, and was a woman of discipline and strength. So, when a wake was being held in her memory on Monday night, persons from all walks of life came to pay their respects. But minutes to 1 a.m. Wednesday, two gunmen with no regard for her honour sprayed bullets wildly at the gathering as gospel music played from the speakers. Seven persons were injured and another man killed a short distance away. Residents have condemned the incident.

"They had no regard at all. It was like they were doing this for likes or wanted to top what happened in Clarendon. Aunt Mary was a law-abiding and God-fearing person. This was the last thing anyone expected," a woman said.

As a group of police officers kept watch on the scene, Aunt Mary's relatives cleaned the plastic chairs that were used at the wake. One of them told THE STAR that if the 78-year-old woman as alive, she would have voiced her disdain at the incident.

"Yuh would hear her mouth loud and a say 'A weh dem come from wid dem crosses self?'. She would make a sound man. She would run patrol and check on everyone who get shot. That was just who she was, a disciplinarian and strong-willed person," one of the relatives said.

"She was a hard-working lady. She took care of what needed to be taken care of, but she never fraid to buss yuh ass if yuh rude. The way she did serious, all if yuh a big man and yuh do something wrong, she would probably still hold yuh and whip yuh. She was a church woman, suh certain things she nuh want in her area," the man added.

Another man stated that although it was a wake, the vibe was serene and all of the attendees were seemingly in a good mood. But within seconds, the atmosphere changed and persons were scampering for safety.

"We are traumatised. We did a hold a little vibes and a drink and eat, and all of a sudden a just bare shot a buss. We deh here good good and the devil just come a the yard. People just come here with dem problem. Gospel was playing and that shows you that people just don't respect yuh. She was 78 and people deh here who older than her, but those who came with the guns didn't care," he said. Aunt Mary will be buried on the family plot today.

Following the slaying of eight persons and the injuring of 11 others by gunmen in Cherry Tree Lane, Four Paths, Clarendon, Prime Minister (PM) Andrew Holness stated that the security forces would be going after every gang. But a resident of Cudjoe's Hill who attended the wake, said he is not impressed with the tough talk.

"All of that is just talk because look what happen now. These gunmen are some evil spirits and no matter how much big talk make, we just have to look out for ourselves. Up here suh a farming community and look what happen. Badness nuh deh a town any more, but more deh a country. I don't know how crime a go curb when guns are still being allowed in the country."