Man who shot another in dispute over apples charged with murder

A 36-year-old higgler has been charged with murder and other gun-related offences arising from a dispute earlier this month over the picking of apples in St Mary. 

The police say Rayon McNish, otherwise called 'Roger Blacks' from Bellfield Pen in the parish was charged on Friday in relation to the killing of 22-year-old Rayon Prendergast and the injuring of another man. 

The offences are murder; two counts of using firearm to commit a felony; two counts of possession of prohibited weapon; two counts of unauthorised possession of ammunition; dealing in prohibited weapon; two counts of possession of a firearm with intent to injure; two counts of possession of ammunition with intent to injure  and shooting with intent. 

The police say about 2:45 p.m. on February 8, Prendergast and another man went to a property in Bellfield Pen to pick apples.

As they were leaving, they were allegedly confronted by McNish.

It is alleged that McNish pulled a firearm from his waistband and opened fire hitting Prendergast.

The police were alerted, and Prendergast was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead. The other man escaped injuries.

The incident was reported to the police and during the investigation, an operation was carried out on McNish premises and a 9mm Springfield Armoury firearm, one magazine and twenty-eight 9mm rounds of ammunition were found, the police said.

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