The Tribune

By LAMECH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

ONE man is dead and two others in hospital after three separate shootings that occurred in just over 24 hours.

The dead man was killed in what was said to be an execution-style slaying - and had been wanted in connection with another murder.

Speaking to the media yesterday at the Central Detective Unit on the country’s 104th homicide victim for 2013, Superintendent Paul Rolle said while the circumstances of the incident suggests the gunman was known to the person they discovered lifeless on Firetrail Road, they do not have a motive for the killing at this time.

“Sometime around 1:13am, police received reports of a body lying on the side of the road on Firetrail Road West. This is west of Gladstone Road,” he said.

“A unit responded to that area where in fact they discovered a male lying on the side of the road with apparent gunshot wounds about the body. EMS responded to the scene as well where they pronounced this male lifeless.”

“Our investigation and what we know so far is this male may have been the passenger of a vehicle, we don’t know what type of vehicle, exited and was pursued by at least one person who discharged several shots in his direction striking him multiple times to the upper body.”

The male whose identity remains unknown to police, is believed to be a 23-year-old of slim build and narrow features. And at the time of his death, he was dressed in a black t-shirt, blue jeans and tennis.

The officer in charge of CDU appealed to the public to contact them if a relative fitting that description did not return home that night.

Supt Rolle said it is too early in the investigation to state what the motive is but “as things progress, I imagine we would unravel some more information and make that available to the media.”

However, he did say that the murder indicates that “the assailant is known to the victim.”

“He’s able to get into close proximity to him. That is what that tells us and so from all indication, the evidence on the scene suggests that the victim attempted to run away, and he was pursued and shot.”

“When we do our hypothesis and theories on that, and reconstruct, it will become clearer to the investigators as to really what happened,” he said.

Prior to yesterday’s murder, there was a shooting incident on December 14 that left a man in hospital.

Shortly after 12:30am on Saturday, police were tipped off that a man had been shot at Dorsett Street, Fox Hill. Arriving at the scene, officers found a man suffering from a gunshot wound in his back.

The victim was taken to hospital where he is detained in serious condition.

Then around 2pm on Saturday, police received a report of a man being shot in Montel Heights. The victim was taken to hospital where he is detained in stable condition.

As investigations into the three shootings continue, police are appealing to anyone with information regarding them, “no matter how small or insignificant (the tip) may seem,” to anonymously call them at 919 or CRIME STOPPERS at 328-TIPS (8477) (New Providence) or 1-242-300-8476 (Family Islands).