The Tribune

By SANCHESKA BROWN

Tribune Staff Reporter

sbrown@tribunemedia.net

A MAN was shot and set on fire in a Honda Civic yesterday afternoon becoming the country’s latest murder victim.

Police are hunting four men they believe to be responsible for the crime, which happened around 3pm.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Anthony Ferguson said officers received information shortly after 3pm that shots were heard at the back of the Dundas Centre for the Performing Arts on Mackey Street. When they arrived, they made the gruesome discovery.

“Responding officers, upon arrival, met a Honda Civic on fire. They made contact with the fire branch, who arrived a short time later. They met the vehicle completely engulfed in flames,” he said,

“Upon extinguishing the fire, the officers discovered a badly burned body, of what we believe to be a male, in the passenger seat. The preliminary investigation into this matter suggests that four males were seen running from the area where the vehicle was set ablaze. This is an active investigation.”

Mr Ferguson said police do not know if the man was dead before the fire started but he did say an autopsy will be performed to determine the exact cause of death.

Asked if it would be classified as a murder, Mr Ferguson said: “I do not want to jump ahead of things; persons were seen running from a vehicle after gunshots were heard but we are still investigating.”

He is asking members of the public who may have any information to contact police at 911 or 919, the Central Detective Unit at 502-9991 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 328-TIPS.

“We are urging members of the public to reach out to us. We don’t want persons who were engaged in these kind of acts to remain out there and harm other persons. It is very important that any bit of information that you have concerning this incident to provide the information to the police,” he said.

The murder count for the year now stands at 10.