Family rocked by third death in three years

As Annett Sinclair struggled to stand in the midst of her grief, a gut-wrenching cry could be heard through the community of Upper King Street in Kingston.

Shortly after, the words "Jezas! 2022, 2023 and now 2024 mi afi guh bury a next one!" emerged, her voice trembling through her tears. Shortly after 2 p.m. yesterday, Sinclair's spouse of over 30 years, 56-year-old Paul Crawford, staggered into her arms, critically wounded by gunfire, just moments after a barrage of shots echoed through the community. Crawford was later rushed to the Kingston Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead. Eyewitness reports are that Crawford was one of four people shot, including a 12-year-old boy who was hit in his leg.

"Mi just hear 'pop pop pop'! A first mi ever hear suh much gunshot," one eyewitness told THE STAR adding that she was shocked to hear that Crawford had died.

"Oh God man mi cah believe dis! A how him family aguh manage? Come een like seh dem cah get a break," the eyewitness said.

In 2022, Sinclair and her family faced a similarly devastating tragedy when her son, 27-year-old Oshane Crawford, was shot and killed. Just like his father, Oshane managed to run to Sinclair before dying in her arms. This heartbreak continued last year when her 31-year-old son, Paulan Crawford, passed away after a prolonged illness, leaving the family reeling from the overwhelming grief.

"I really don't know how we're going to manage because we're still trying to come to terms with losing my brothers in less than two years and now mi father gone too," said 25-year-old Monique Crawford, who saw her father only minutes before he died.

"When I got the call I felt like I couldn't breathe because this doesn't feel real. Mi just leave him right here suh, enuh. Right now mi just feel lost, I just cah believe this," she said, unable to hold back tears.

She also told THE STAR that after losing her brothers, her father struggled to cope and considered leaving the community. But because his shop, which is located at the front of the yard, was his main source of income to provide for his family, he stayed.

"Family is everything to my father. He always made sure we were okay. Right now I don't know how my mom is going to manage without him. I don't even know how my son is gonna manage because his grandfather is everything to him. Him guh fi him from school every day," said Monique.