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Kids traumatised
Witness murder of man at day-care centre
KARYL WALKER, Observer staff reporter
Saturday, February 03, 2007
BRAZEN gunmen yesterday morning shot dead a man at a Kingston day-care centre, traumatising a number of little children who were on the premises.
The dead man, identified as Robert Watson, 30, of Weymouth Drive in Kingston, was the foreman for a construction project at the rear of the National Commercial Bank Nursery and After School Care Centre, where preparatory work was being done for the building of new classrooms.
Last night, the police said they were searching for the two gunmen who shot Watson twice and left the compound on a motorbike. The gunmen reportedly had a heated argument with the construction foreman before they took him down with their weapons.
The incident happened while some of the children were having recess in the yard of the nursery.
"Dem shoot him and jump over the children before dem leave," according to a man who said he witnessed the shooting.
Watson, the man told the Observer, ran off, then collapsed about 10 metres from where he was shot and died.
The children who were playing in the yard at the time were quickly ushered into the building before they were bussed away to the NCB Wellness Centre at Phoenix Avenue where they met their parents.
"These criminals are cold and heartless to kill a man like that in front of so many children. Why do these gunmen think they have to do these wicked acts just to prove how bad they are? Are we going to continue to give them a free run in the country?" a policeman on the scene asked.
The nursery is manned by security guards and is protected by a sliding electronic gate, but the police said the gunmen pointed their guns at the security guard who operated the gate and ordered him to let them out.
"He had to comply or we would have two dead bodies here," said another policeman on the scene.
At least 40 children between the ages of three months and 11 years use the facility, which was built by NCB to cater to the staff of the financial institution.
Meanwhile, Watson's murder, which occurred about 9:30 am yesterday, put a damper on operations as staff members were visibly shaken by the incident.
"The staff is a little bit shaken up. We have never had anything like this. In fact, it is the only unfortunate incident in 30 years," Belinda Williams, NCB public relations and communications manager said.
Yesterday, as officers from the Homicide Assessment Team combed the murder scene for clues, Watson's body lay spread-eagled on the pavement in the boiling morning sun. A few of his female relatives sat somberly under a tree and peered at the lifeless body of their loved one lying in a pool of blood.
"He was a gentle soul who never lived bad with anybody so I don't see why they had to do this to such a good man," one of his relatives said.
Witness murder of man at day-care centre
KARYL WALKER, Observer staff reporter
Saturday, February 03, 2007
BRAZEN gunmen yesterday morning shot dead a man at a Kingston day-care centre, traumatising a number of little children who were on the premises.
The dead man, identified as Robert Watson, 30, of Weymouth Drive in Kingston, was the foreman for a construction project at the rear of the National Commercial Bank Nursery and After School Care Centre, where preparatory work was being done for the building of new classrooms.
Last night, the police said they were searching for the two gunmen who shot Watson twice and left the compound on a motorbike. The gunmen reportedly had a heated argument with the construction foreman before they took him down with their weapons.
The incident happened while some of the children were having recess in the yard of the nursery.
"Dem shoot him and jump over the children before dem leave," according to a man who said he witnessed the shooting.
Watson, the man told the Observer, ran off, then collapsed about 10 metres from where he was shot and died.
The children who were playing in the yard at the time were quickly ushered into the building before they were bussed away to the NCB Wellness Centre at Phoenix Avenue where they met their parents.
"These criminals are cold and heartless to kill a man like that in front of so many children. Why do these gunmen think they have to do these wicked acts just to prove how bad they are? Are we going to continue to give them a free run in the country?" a policeman on the scene asked.
The nursery is manned by security guards and is protected by a sliding electronic gate, but the police said the gunmen pointed their guns at the security guard who operated the gate and ordered him to let them out.
"He had to comply or we would have two dead bodies here," said another policeman on the scene.
At least 40 children between the ages of three months and 11 years use the facility, which was built by NCB to cater to the staff of the financial institution.
Meanwhile, Watson's murder, which occurred about 9:30 am yesterday, put a damper on operations as staff members were visibly shaken by the incident.
"The staff is a little bit shaken up. We have never had anything like this. In fact, it is the only unfortunate incident in 30 years," Belinda Williams, NCB public relations and communications manager said.
Yesterday, as officers from the Homicide Assessment Team combed the murder scene for clues, Watson's body lay spread-eagled on the pavement in the boiling morning sun. A few of his female relatives sat somberly under a tree and peered at the lifeless body of their loved one lying in a pool of blood.
"He was a gentle soul who never lived bad with anybody so I don't see why they had to do this to such a good man," one of his relatives said.
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