Murder at Sizzla’s Judgement Yard
Published:Tuesday | June 21, 2022 | 12:12 AMAndre Williams/Staff Reporter
August Town native Miguel Collins, more popularly known as reggae artiste Sizzla Kalonji, has reportedly met with investigators following a deadly shooting at his Judgement Yard compound in the St Andrew community on Sunday.
Reports are that about 11:15 p.m., gunmen invaded the premises on the hilly terrain, which have several houses, a restaurant, a studio and a museum, before opening fire at a Rastafarian man known only by his alias, ‘Culture’.
He reportedly died on the spot.
“We are not sure if he was targeted, but it makes one wonder what would happen if the entertainer was in the company of the now-deceased man, as they always are together,” said a resident, who requested anonymity.
Residents described Culture as a hard worker who was instrumental in several construction projects taking place at the Judgement Yard compound.
Sizzla, who was said to be resting when our news team visited his August Town home on Monday, was reportedly attending a Father’s Day engagement elsewhere at the time of the deadly incident.
Yesterday, a sombre mood enveloped Judgement Yard as residents recounted the incident.
“Mi nuh know how him nuh deh where Dada (Sizzla) was. When mi hear mi just say a destiny ... . Him alone did deh ya and everybody gone,” a resident told The Gleaner.
The police have not established a motive for the killing, but a senior officer close to the investigation disclosed that the cops spoke with the entertainer because the murder took place at the location.
“He is not being investigated or anything. It happened in Judgement Yard and he is a leader in the community. It’s early days, but we are treating with the incident and crime scene accordingly,” the cop told The Gleaner.
One resident expressed concern at the resurgence of violence in the community in which a zone of special operations was declared nearly two years ago.
“The violence nah go stop up here. The man dem from ‘cross the river and the other factions, including the Colour Red Gang, at each other and is pure blind a lead blind,” the resident said.
Sizzla has long been a voice for the peace to be restored and maintained in August Town.
In 2016, the community celebrated zero murders and Sizzla, along with other stakeholders, recognised the achievement with a ceremony. Sizzla’s Youth Foundation also issued several education grants then.
Sunday’s murder brings the tally of recent victims to four after three men were shot dead on April 30 in Bedward Gardens after returning from a party.
The St Andrew Central Police Division recorded a 13 per cent reduction in murders up to June 18. Thirty-three people were killed in the division in the first five and a half months of 2022, compared to 38 for the corresponding period last year.
All other major crimes – except robberies and break-ins – are also seeing year-on-year declines in the division.