Walkerswood, St Ann residents protest police arrest after mob killing

Carl Gilchrist, Gleaner Writer

Residents of Walkerswood in St Ann blocked the main road linking Moneague and Ocho Rios on Tuesday, protesting the arrest of a community member in connection with a mob killing in June.

It is reported that sometime in June gunmen shot and killed a resident of the community known as Omar. 

Several residents cornered one of the gunmen who was beaten to death and a firearm recovered, which was handed over to the police.

The police later obtained a video of the mob attack and based on the contents, swooped down on a resident in the community last week Thursday and took him in for questioning.  

Residents took issue with the police’s action and on Tuesday blocked the main road leading through the community.  

Devon Reynolds, a resident of Walkerswood, told The Gleaner that residents were upset that the police appeared to have targeted one individual when it was a mob killing. 

“It was the whole community that carried out the mobbing, so it seems somebody was there videoing and they [police] only picked out an individual out of it. 

“We even turned over the gun from the same time. That’s why it hurt so much because they came and commend us on what we’re doing, then to come and pick out an individual, it hurt us so much. If they had come and picked up like 10 or 15 persons we would feel much better, but just to come and picked out an individual, it doesn’t match up,” he added. 

Approximately 100 persons took part in the demonstration.

The police would intervene, clearing the roadblock.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Ryan Gayle, who was on the scene, stated that a mob killing is an offence and the police have to act once they have evidence.  

“Evidence came to the police of persons involved in the killing. The man arrested was one of the persons who were involved in it. We cannot have that knowledge and not act on it,” Gayle said. 

He said the rule of law must be upheld.

“They’re saying they helped the police by getting rid of this threat in the community, they even recovered a gun, so we should turn a blind eye to it but the law does not work that way. We have a moral responsibility to ensure that everyone is treated fairly under the law. Even the criminal has rights, that was explained to the community members and they basically have cleared the roadblock,” said Gayle.

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