Ongoing gang war in the depressed and volatile Steer Town community led to the spilling of blood in the street in Ocho Rios at the weekend with the shooting death of an area resident.
Sources connected to steer town and police say a woman played a role in luring out and slaying of 23-year-old Jamar Robinson who was believed to be involved in a recent murder in the Steer Town community.Robinson shot dead Friday night, February 20, was the third person from Steer Town, midway between Drax Hall and Davis Town, to be murdered this year.
NOT REPORTED
Before Friday’s slaying, the most recent murder of a Steer Town resident took place on Saturday evening, February 7 when a man was shot dead. Police had issued no report of that incident that came to attention of this newspaper only as North Coast Times investigated reports of growing panic and fear in the community. The man was said to operate a car wash but no other details were available.
Just two weeks earlier, another Steer Town man was murdered on the edge of the community. He is 23-year-old David Ellis also called ‘Ozzy P’ of Damhead, Steer Town, St Ann. He was shot and killed on Thursday, January 22, along the Roaring River Main Road.
Police reports are that about 6:15 pm residents heard explosions and called the police. Ellis’ gunshot-riddled body was found. Reports say three men had walked up to him and opened fire before running away.Saturday night’s shooting comes following a show of force by at least seven armed men in Steer Town last Thursday, ahead of a funeral service for Ellis, Saturday.
SHOW OF FORCE
Reports are that men were seen massed in an area in the community and as a police patrol approached, the men fired a barrage of shots in the area. Residents say they were shocked given that the police were no more than 100 metres away when the men opened fire.
Police sources said they were stepping up their operations in the area and expressed concern over the future of Steer Town, a community with dozens of squatters and high levels of unemployment.Friday night’s shooting was a hit, though police have little details about it. However, investigations by the North Coast Times reveal that Robinson was blamed for a murder in the area. It is not clear if it was for the death of Ellis. However, reports were that some gang members said they had to “make a duppy” to avenge the death of Ellis, before he was buried.A woman was said to be involved and lured out Robinson, under pretence at a romantic night together. He her in Ocho Rios. The were walking along the road in the area of DaCosta Drive, part of the highway in front of Taj Mahal shopping centre when at least two men leapt out of bushes and shot Robinson three times, one of the bullets striking him in the head.
The woman was unharmed and escaped. It is not clear if she left in a car that had taken the men to the area.
Police were called to the scene. A senior officer told The Times Monday that all weekend police were working on the case but herefused to say whether they had any leads or theories about what had happened in that case.
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