Man says Wi-Fi saved him from gun attack

Had it not been for a malfunctioning Wi-Fi connection, a man believes he would have been among those killed by gunmen in a pre-dawn attack on Sunday on Bowen Road, off Waltham Park Road, St Andrew.

The man claims that he decided to stay home on Saturday night, unlike his unusual routine, as he had no Internet connection.

"Me a tell yuh the truth say a the Wi-Fi save me. Me say me nah guh round deh [Bowens Road] tonight, plus me never have nuh money and a card we normally play. Probably if me did come round here, me woulda dead too because dem [gunmen] woulda see more man and a that dem want," he shared. In addition to the Wi-Fi, he recalled that he was injured in a shooting incident on July 27 on the same road.

From me get shot, me just decide say me ago stay from the crowd," he said, showing a scar on his ankle. The seven years of relative peace on Bowens Road was shattered shortly after midnight when the staccato of rifles erupted at a recently opened bar, leaving three men dead and five others injured. Not even the intervention of congregants of the Victory Gospel Assembly, who prayed and sang gospel choruses, could quell the residents' frustration, as they vowed vengeance for deceased, who they claimed were innocent.

"The community nuh feel good. Yuh think we feel good fi know say three man just dead from we community, five deh a hospital and one a dem probably lose dem foot? We hear say man a post up pon status, a post say we make man a run up and down from shot. This nah guh so," one resident indicated. Residents theorise that another community is inciting the conflict.

But commanding officer of the St Andrew South police, Superintendent Damian Manderson, is warning against reprisals.

"I want to appeal to those who have been hurt to know that we sympathise with you, we extend our condolences, and in the same breath, we crave your patience and your support to bring these perpetrators to justice. Do not take things in your own hands. Do not jeopardise your life and the lives of other citizens. Allow us to do our part and work with us and your role in working with us is simple. If you saw anything, you say something to us so we can act on it," Manderson urged.

Reports from the Constabulary Communications Network identify Ricardo Baker, 63, Steven Myers, 19, and Kemar Hardware, 35, as the deceased. Reports are that about 11:40 p.m., a group of persons were on the roadway when armed men travelling on foot opened gunfire, hitting eight persons before escaping. Bullets holes, a pair of Crocs and blood stains along the roadway bore testament of the savage attack outside of Hardware's business, Kemshion Sports Bar Chill Spot. His mother grimaced, saying gunmen killed him for no reason.

"A my second son this dem kill. Dem chop up my other son already, say him come from [Greenwich] Farm, and dem tek him for the wrong man, and now, dem come back come kill dah one here. Him get shot three time already, this one make four and him nuh live. Right now, me pressure deh pon me and my eye dark. Him is a nice yute, him always try fi cry peace, him nuh inna nuh problem wid nobody," the grieving woman said.

Hardware, the son of artiste Singing Melody, was making preparations for his son's birthday on November 12.

"Him did a plan for the baby birthday, the baby ago be two [years old]," his mother told THE STAR.

Even with a heavy contingent of police, residents indicated that the lawmen's presence was not enough.

"Dem nah come up wid no good solution. All wah go gwan a ZOSO [zone of special operations] aguh drop and dem ago come and search up the place and that's it. That nah help we and we want more that," one resident reasoned. Manderson said a 48-hour curfew was imposed at 6 p.m. yesterday and that no motive has been established.