Jamaica police are searching for a group of heavily armed men who shot and killed a six year-old boy, his mother and stepfather and later burnt their bodies on Sunday.
Police said that the group, numbering between 30 and 40 persons, is being led by the island’s most wanted man, Christopher ‘Dog Paw’ Linton.
They said the murders took place in the Bedward Gardens community in August Town, St Andrew and that law enforcement officials had also been engaged in a long-running battle with the gangsters.
The police have announced a J$250,000 (US$2,948) reward for information leading to the arrest of Linton.
Law enforcement officials said that at least two men had been detained in relation to the incident that has been criticised by parliamentary representative for the area, Joseph Hibbert.
“It’s really sad, especially that a child has been killed. I don’t know that anybody can justify that type of behaviour,” Hibbert said, while calling on the police to double efforts to apprehend the gunmen.
Police said that the heavily armed gunmen attacked the victims as they slept in a house. After killing the occupants, they firebombed the house, burning the bodies of the deceased persons beyond recognition, according to the police.
Police have since identified the other victims as 31-year-old Dania Forbes and 49-year-old taxi operator Marnis Hylton.
Police believe that reprisal was the motive for the attack that left the entire community in mourning.
Superintendent Derrick ‘Cowboy’ Knight, who heads the police division in which August Town is situated, told the Jamaica Observer newspaper that the attacks may have been in retaliation to the shooting last week of a man in the area, who succumbed to his injuries on Saturday night.
Knight said that the heavily armed men were in search of a man who had several weeks earlier fired upon Linton.
“Again, we are asking the public to assist us in finding ‘Dog Paw’. What happened is clearly a testimony to his viciousness and callousness and how brazen this man is.”
The 24-year-old Linton has been on the police most wanted list since earlier this year. Police say he is wanted for questioning in relation to several shootings and murders. (CMC)