Teenage girl among 2 killed allegedly over spa

[evanovitch]

A 14 year old student is one of two persons who was shot and killed early Sunday morning in Caymanas Bay, St. Catherine.

<span style="font-weight: bold">A bloody war over who should have control over a natural spa in the community is said to be at the heart of the killings </span>which left Tasheena Salmon, a student of Jose Marti High School and her neighbour, Leslie Jones dead.

The police say just after 6:30am, gunmen went to Mr. Jones' house where they shot and killed him.

They then went to a neighbouring house where Tasheena lived with her family and kicked in the door and opened fire on the occupants, who fled in fear.

Tasheena was later found dead.

<span style="font-weight: bold">The natural spa which is allegedly the basis for the violence is located on lands said to be owned by the Urban Development Corporation.</span>
<span style="font-weight: bold">It is reported that for years, some residents of Caymanas Bay have fought for control of area in order to benefit from the lucrative spoils collected from visitors to the spa</span>.

<span style="font-style: italic">Several persons have been either shot dead or injured in the violence</span> and Mr. Jones was said to be the latest person in control of the spa.

A police source told RJR News that representations have been made to both the previous People's National Party and the present Jamaica Labour Party administrations to take control of the spa.

The source warned that if the Government does not respond, there will be more bloodshed.

In the meantime, an 8-year old girl is in hospital after she was shot and injured by gunmen in Waterford, St. Catherine Sunday morning.

Residents reported seeing men walking on a pathway close to where the child lived and shortly afterwards, explosions were heard.

The child was found with gunshot wounds and was taken to hospital where she underwent surgery.

[evanovitch]

House fire bombed &amp; family injured as fight over spa escalat


Wednesday, 15 April 2009
For the second time in three days, violence has erupted in Caymanas Bay, St. Catherine with three menbers of a family left nursing gunshot wounds.

<span style="font-weight: bold">A family had there house fire bombed early Wednesday morning in what he police believe is retaliation for Sunday morning's brutal attack which left Tasheena Salmon, 14, a student of Jose Marti Technical High School and her neighbour Leslie Jones dead.</span>

Tasheena was shot and killed when gunmen kicked in the door to her family's house and opened fire.

The family of four was awoken by the sound of glass breaking as a molotov cocktail bomb was thrown through a window, setting the building on fire.

<span style="font-weight: bold">The occupants, who tried to flee burn the burning house, were reportedly fired on by gunmen who were laying in wait outside</span>.

A <span style="font-weight: bold">46-year old woman, a-13 year old girl and a 9-year old girl were all shot </span>and injured while a fourth person escaped unhurt.

The gunmen reportedly left the burning house and went to the natural spa which is said to be at the centre of a dispute between rival gangs in the area and set fire to the perimeter fence surrounding the facility.

The police say the spa is a lucrative business venture which has attracted many visitors to Caymanas Bay.

And according Deputy Superintendent Clive Blair who is in charge of Operations for the St. Catherine South Police Division, gangs have been fighting for control of the spa for some time.

&quot;As a result of that, we've had a number of shootings and murder in the area and as such, we've had implement certain plans which we'll now have to increase ... do some operations and occupy spaces inside there,&quot; he said.

The Police High Command in the Division have been pleading with successive Governments to take control of the spa as seven people were shot and killed in violence related to the feud over the last year.

[evanovitch]

good to see di UDC is focussed on di right ting...rollyeye



<span style="font-weight: bold">afta all dem should be more interested in not being tainted dan di fak seh actual people a lose dem life...dem even tek di time to speak to di harm to human life...it written in invisible ink of course

</span>
The Urban Development Corporation (UDC) is seeking to dissociate itself from the spa which is at the centre of a deadly feud involving criminal gangs in the Caymanas Bay area of St. Catherine.

The UDC says it does not own the spa which is adjacent to lands which it manages.

Additionally, the Corporation says contrary to media reports it has been responsive to the issue of security in the Caymanas area.

General Manager of the UDC, Joy Douglas, on Wednesday night sought to clear the air following claims by the police and political representatives that the Corporation owns the spa.

&quot;The entrance to this place is not owned by the Urban Development Corporation. It is a large water body of over 400 acres and persons from this community have used this area for years,&quot; said Ms. Douglas.

&quot;Now there is a history to the use and control of the entrance to this place by a particular individual and set of individuals that has nothing to do with the Urban Development Corporation,&quot; she said.

Since last year several persons have been killed as rival gangs fight for control of the spa.

On Sunday, 14-year-old Tasheena Salmon, a student of the Jose Marti Technical High School and a neighbour, Leslie Jones were shot dead when gunmen attacked them.

Wednesday morning, gunmen went back to Caymanas Bay and bombed a house

[jah_yout]

Re: good to see di UDC is focussed on di right ting...rollyeye

mi haffi wonda if people just born wicked (shakemihead)