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Mandeville, Manchester - The Mandeville police say they are "actively" investigating allegations that gunshots were fired during an all-night party at the home of businessman Kenneth 'Skeng Don' Black in the upscale community of Ingleside in this parish on Sunday, February 18.
However, in a letter apologising for the disruption of the community's peace and quiet, Black, who heads the Manchester-based construction firm Black Brothers Inc Ltd, which is one of the largest employers of labour in the parish, reportedly explained that the alleged gunshots may actually have been the result of motor bikes backfiring.
Ingleside residents who gathered at an emergency meeting of their citizens' association last Thursday say that after several hours of loud music they were alarmed by rapid explosions that resembled automatic gunfire.
"In the region of 3:00 am there was a barrage of what appeared to be automatic gunfire occurring intermittently," one resident told the Sunday Observer.
Superintendent Michael James, outgoing head of the Manchester police, told the Sunday Observer that the alleged shooting incident had been reported to the police but said that as yet there had been no confirmation of what actually took place.
"We got a report of shots fired at a party at Mr Black's house. We have not been able to verify the incident by practical evidence," James told the Sunday Observer. "However, there have been enough citizens reporting that they heard explosions consistent with gunshots for us to have the matter actively under investigation."
As part of sweeping changes in the police high command, James is to move on from Manchester to take up duties with the Police Mobile Reserve on March 6.
Sources say those at the citizens' association meeting voiced extreme irritation at what they said was the failure of the Mandeville police to act on their complaints despite several calls about the loud music and "primarily" about the explosions. Residents are said to have alleged that an initial party of two policemen visited Black's home with no effect. They claimed that a larger police party returned later and succeeded temporarily in turning the music down but that as soon as the policemen left, the "noise", including the explosions, resumed.
A senior member of the Mandeville police attended the citizens' association meeting at which Black's letter of apology was reportedly read. The businessman is said to have explained that he was away from home in the early hours of Monday morning when he received a telephone call to say that gunshots were being fired in the vicinity of his home where a birthday party was being held in his honour.
He rushed home and on investigating was told that the explosions were the result of motor cycles backfiring. In his letter, Black reportedly extended his "sincerest apologies" to the community and gave an assurance that such an incident would not recur.
Repeated efforts by the Sunday Observer to contact Black for a comment failed.
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