The Tribune

By DANA SMITH

dsmith@tribunemedia.net

A "NIGHT of terror" left the childhood friend of a DNA candidate dead and a police inspector in hospital after a shooting.

The police inspector is the brother of Assistant Superintendent Andrew George Deveaux Sr who died on March 31 and received a full military funeral yesterday morning.

The dead man - Seljay Nelson -- was a family friend of DNA candidate Rodney Moncur who heard the shooting and said he saw men "run for their lives."

According to reports, the shooting happened around 9:40pm on Tuesday on John Street, between Market Street and East Street.

A 49-year-old man, who is understood to be Inspector Nathan Mackey, was shot in the leg and taken to hospital by EMS where he was yesterday said to be in a stable condition.

Friends say he managed to go his brother's funeral yesterday morning, even though doctors advised against it.

A 39-year-old man, who Mr Moncur identified as Seljay Nelson, was shot in the back and taken to hospital by EMS where he later died.

Mr Moncur said he was near the area when the shooting occurred and heard several gunshots.

"About 9:40 we could hear a series of high powered gun explosions, maybe eight shots or more, and men running like hell for cover," he said. "Two men were shot, one believed to be a police inspector and Seljay Nelson... It would appear that some vehicle passed by and a man or men jumped out and just began to open fire. It was terror."

He said he was "very distraught" over the death of Mr Nelson, as he had known the victim since childhood.

"I knew his mother, I knew his father, I knew his siblings," he said.

"It was a night of terror and we are in trouble. Something has to be done, certainly, to reel back this level of crime and particularly that of murder."

Mr Moncur put information about the shooting on the social networking site Facebook and also spoke on the shooting again at a DNA press conference yesterday afternoon.

"Today, I am very, very traumatised because last night just down the street from my campaign office, a young man whom I knew from infancy was gunned down in the streets like a dog," Mr Moncur said.

"Some men in a car... opened fire on a group of men. I was able to see from a distance as those men ran for their lives. I saw terrorism last night, I saw pandemonium and confusion and our streets are not safe."

He added: "Last night, I didn't sleep perhaps for the first time in many, many years."

Mr Nelson, the son of Haitian immigrants, was raised by his father in Black Village after his mother moved to Florida, Mr Moncur said. He said Mr Nelson grew up with his brother as his mother subsequently sent for his sister.

He worked in the Road Traffic Department parking lot changing decals and licences, Mr Moncur said.

"He was called 'Wing' because he was perhaps one of the fastest runners in the Bains Town, Grants Town area."

In a separate shooting on Tuesday, a 26-year-old man of Claridge Road was with others at Peardale around 8pm when he was approached by another man who shot him.

He was taken to hospital by EMS where he was yesterday reported to be in stable condition.

Police are investigating both shootings and are appealing to members of the public who may have information to contact them at 919, 322-3333; the Central Detective Unit at 502-9991, 502-9910; or CrimeStoppers at 328-TIPS.