Update| Portland man accused of firebombing houses, chopping residents in hospital in critical condition

A man believed to be of unsound mind, who allegedly firebombed three houses in the community of Canewood, Hope Bay, Portland, on Friday, including his own, and chopped two residents during a vicious attack, is in a critical but stable condition in hospital.

The 23-year-old man was shot by the police, whom he also attacked and allegedly doused with a corrosive substance, before setting them on fire.

The man reportedly lost his cool on Friday about 11 a.m. It's believed his rage may have been fuelled by another incident about a week ago, in which, it is said, he was attacked and beaten by a group of residents. His sister said her brother was allegedly beaten and chopped on the neck by a group of residents, and that the incident could have triggered his reprisal.  

On Friday, he went on a rampage, chopping two residents; firebombing homes, and also allegedly attacked the police.  

“It is not the first time that he has acted violently, but it is the first time that he has gone this far to hurt the people around him," said his sister.

She added: “Him just lose it and just decide fi react. Well, I heard that he bottle boom (bottle bomb) some people house. Them fight him last week and him go take revenge back pon them. Him boom three house I think. Him chop two a them (residents) and burn up one a them. The police came around three times and the last time there were a lot of them and them fire shot, and him (the man) a bottle boom the place." 

She continued: “[Him] (her brother) don’t trouble people and him nuh talk to people. If you nuh trouble [him], him naah trouble you. And as mad as him is … as mad as them say him is, him nuh trouble people. Now we nuh know where he was taken by the police and them say that we have to come to the station to get information about him (her brother).”

Community torn

The usually quiet farming West Portland community resembled a war zone when The Gleaner visited on Saturday.  

Residents said it seemed that the man had made and stockpiled the Molotov cocktail bombs overnight; lit the explosive devices and threw them indiscriminately. One of the bombs reportedly exploded at the feet of a resident, who suffered severe burns to his face, back, arms and lower body.

According to the police, the victim who suffered severe burns was transported by them to hospital, covered in a sheet. The burns are considered life-threatening. 

“We responded to an urgent call and when we got to the community, a man was seen suffering from burn injuries and was bleeding profusely," commented an inspector attached to the Portland police, who requested anonymity.

The inspector added: “We were told that the alleged bomber fled the area and by the time officers got back to the Hope Bay Police Station, a man from that community turned up suffering from chop wounds to the head. Officers went back into the area and residents indicated that the man had returned. A team of officers approached him and he was told that they were going to remove him and take him to hospital, but he locked himself into the house and started hurling explosive devices at them. 

“Having been briefed about the hostile situation, additional personnel were dispatched to provide backup for the team that was already on the ground. Two officers were doused with a corrosive substance and set ablaze, but only their training and skill prevented them from suffering serious injuries. They had to roll themselves in bushes to prevent serious burns to their bodies,” the inspector said. 

The police managed to gain entry to the house, the inspector said. 

“But we were again confronted with explosive devices, which he threw, damaging two windows in the kitchen, along with a refrigerator. He then set furniture in the bedroom on fire, before confronting us armed with two machetes and a shield. He was shot, not sure how many times, and taken to hospital," the inspector reported.

A bloodied bathroom; charred furniture; a damaged back door and several badly damaged windows told the frightening tale of what many, including Devon Harris, a resident, described as an act of terrorism, one that was never expected or experienced before in the peaceful and quiet farming community of Canewood.  

When calm returned, two other houses suffered from the bottle bomb throwing incident; however, there was no loss of life.

Detectives from the Criminal Investigative Branch in Port Antonio are carrying out investigations. 

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