TWO young men were shot and killed in Yellow Elder Gardens Friday afternoon, both murders seemingly committed by culprits driving a champagne coloured, heavily tinted Honda Accord, according to police.
#The Big T understands that Byron Saunders, aka “Bones”, and Jermaine Rolle, Jr, were gunned down minutes apart while standing in the vicinity of Nicholls Street around noon.
#Rolle’s family members yesterday claimed that his murder is connected to that of his father in 2010. Meanwhile Saunders’ mother, Karen Joffre, said she had another son who was killed nine years ago. She said she must stay strong for her family, but did not understand why her son was killed yesterday.
#According to Police Chief Superintendent Clayton Fernander, a No 8 bus was off-loading passengers on Nicholls Court and Butler’s Way when a champagne coloured Honda Accord pulled up behind it.
#A young man got out from the passenger side armed with a handgun. He approached the bus and fired a shot at an individual in the bus, whom family members later identified as Rolle.
#The bus driver drove straight to the Grove Police station on Baillou Hill Road to report the matter. Emergency medical service personnel were summoned and pronounced Rolle dead at the scene.
#According to a man who claimed to be the deceased’s uncle, Rolle was employed at Caribbean Plumbing. He had been sent to Harbour Island for work and had only returned home for the Thanksgiving holiday.
#He also said Rolle’s father was a murder victim in 2010, and his four sons – Rolle included – have since been targeted by the murderer, whom the uncle alleged is still on the loose.
#“He’s a good person,” Rolle’s uncle said. “Hard worker. This boy don’t miss no day to work. He’s very intelligent. He’s a learning young fellow. Anything I put him to do he could do. I send him Harbour Island just to get away from all of this foolishness.
#“This is an ongoing situation from his daddy get killed and he was a witness,” he added. “The boys who kill his father always trying to shoot at them.”
#Rolle’s grandmother also told The Big T about her ongoing efforts in appealing to police to provide her grandsons with protection.
#“Ever since 2010 when my son (Rolle’s father) was brutally murdered, his boys were witnesses,” she said. “I kept on continuously going to the police letting them know those children’s lives were at risk. What about police protection? And they never do anything about it. And the person who killed my son is out without an ankle bracelet,” she said.
#“Since then this same fellow, he came and he tried to shoot one of (the sons) before, and he said they are not going to rest until they kill them. Now this is murder number one, and it’s four of those boys. And I keep going to the police and telling them those children’s lives are in danger.”
#According to Rolle’s grandmother, Rolle was 20 or 21, a plumber and had also recently become a father.
#The second murder reportedly occurred shortly before Rolle’s demise. According to Chief Supt Fernander, shortly after midday they received reports of gunshots heard in the area of Nicholls Court. Police responded and met the lifeless body of a young man who appeared to be in his early 20s lying on the side of the street with multiple gunshot wounds. EMS personnel responded and pronounced him dead on the scene.
#Family members present at the scene identified him as Byron Saunders and one passer-by referred to the victim as “Bones”.
Chief Supt Fernander said: “Neighbours only heard gunshots and saw a vehicle speeding off. When they checked they noticed that the young man was lying to the side of the street. The description on the vehicle, all we are working with at this time it’s a champagne Honda Accord, heavily tinted. No number obtained at this time.”
#Chief Supt Fernander said police are not ruling out the possibility of the murders being connected, but that it was too early in the investigative process to say so conclusively.
#Assistant Commissioner of Police Stephen Dean called for more community support to aid police in their fight against crime, particularly in Yellow Elder Gardens, as yesterday’s killings pushed the total murders for the year to 108, according to The Tribune’s records.
#“Despite our best efforts and troops on the ground we are still being blighted by incidents of shooting,” ACP Dean said. “I can tell you from the police, we have spared no efforts on the ground. We have mounted several operations. We just done an operation in the Yellow Elder area and arrested several persons. It’s obvious that something is wrong underneath.
#“We are appealing to members of the public who might know what exists in these communities. It’s obvious that persons are in these areas with firearms. People know they’re sleeping in homes in the areas. Parents see them; brothers, sisters see what’s going on. We are asking you to please, before another life is taken away, that you get in contact with the police. Find a way to contact us and report these matters.”
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