By Howard Campbell, Gleaner WriterIN THE six decades she has lived in Admiral Town, Agatha Moodie has become accustomed to the violence that is synonymous with that South St. Andrew community.
However, at 95-years-old, her days of running whenever there is a resurgence, would appear for all intent and purpose over.
The frail Ms. Moodie, who lives alone, was one of several Benbow Street residents who were reportedly forced out of their homes Sunday by gunmen from nearby Bedford and Rodney streets. She had to be lifted to safety by a neighbour, and yesterday she was still shaken by the incident which left one man dead.
REFUGE
"A frighten but a couldn't move 'cause mi sick wid mi heart an' mi hardly can move," she told The Gleaner as she left the Admiral Town Police Station, where she had gone for refuge. Most of Ms. Moodie's neighbours were hanging out at the entrance of Benbow Street yesterday afternoon, peering down the narrow lane, afraid to return to their homes. Fearing reprisal, none of them spoke to The Gleaner.
Corporal Rohan James of the Admiral Town Police Station said the hostilities involves feuding gangs from the aforementioned areas. "The perpetrators are known and make no bones about it - everything will be done to get them off the streets," he said.
According to Corporal James, some of the persons involved in violence throughout Admiral Town have been arrested, but no one has been held in connection with the disturbances on Benbow Street which he says started around 1:30 p.m. Sunday.
MORE VIOLENCE
Corporal James said another round of violence, this time between the gunmen and police, was sparked around 9:30 p.m. Monday. He said there was gunfire in the area up to 4:30 a.m. yesterday. On Tuesday police assisted staff from the Madden's Funeral Home to remove the de-composing body of the man who was shot and killed Sunday. He is reportedly from Rodney Street but up to press time he was not identified.
South St. Andrew has been under siege from gun violence since April. The community is said to be split along ties to its old guard which includes music producer and former manager of the Arnett Gardens football team, George Phang, and a new wave of peace activists which was headed by the late Horace 'Ran Johnnie' Murphy, who was killed in the Top Jungle area of the community on August 30.
At the end of September, the Constabulary Communication Network reported that 17 persons were killed in South St. Andrew.
