Family, friends and young people of the Exchange and Content Gardens communities in Ocho Rios, St Ann are expressing hurt and shock at the loss of the 20-year-old police officer shot to death at a party at White River in the parish.
Even while questions remain about what happened in a bizarre series of events that left two police officers dead, The Times has been seeking details about the brief life and service of Keemo Walsh shot dead Sunday morning, May 3, 2015.
Walsh, a brilliant graduate of St Mary High School went into the Force inspite of his mother’s objection and died within five months after leaving training school.
In the short time he was on the Force he had started community work with the Content Gardens Police Youth Club whose members described, 20-year-old Keemo Walsh as a leader, motivator and role model.
Walsh was shot to death by one of his police colleagues during a party at Grass Hoppa Night Club, White River, just outside Ocho Rios, St Ann.
The colleague, Andually Smith, later reportedly turned the gun on himself, committing suicide. Reports of what led up to the fatal shooting are still not clear.
Smith’s father is insisting his son did not kill himself and some have raised questions about the bullet hole in the back of the police vehicle and whether a left handed man could shoot himself in the right side of his head. Even security minister Peter Bunting has said “there are more questions than answers” and called for speedy autopsies that could aid investigations.
