Rasbert Turner, Gleaner Writer

Shanae Brown (left), mother of Stevanae Cooper (centre), the one-year-old daughter of Steven Cooper who was shot and killed by gunmen in the Jackson community of Sligoville, St Catherine, yesterday, mourn his death at the scene of the crime. - Ricardo Makyn/Staff Photographer

SPANISH TOWN, St Catherine:

Linnette Gooden did not know that the meal she cooked for her son's lunch would have been the last one she cook for him, as he was shot and killed by gunmen, five minutes after he left home yesterday.

Stephen Gooden, 27 years old, was in his motor car about 2:30 pm, when two men stopped him in the Bottom Jackson community, near Bog Walk, St Catherine. As he slowed the vehicle one of the men went to the left side of the car, while the other approached from the right side. Both brandished handguns and started to shoot Gooden all over his body, killing him on the spot, while injuring two passengers.

Last supper

As the news of Gooden's death spread to the community, several persons converged on the scene. Among them was Linnette, his mother. She said: "About five minutes before them kill him, mi cook him lunch and give him and look deh now, dem kill mi last pickney", she said with tears running down her eyes.

She described her son as a very hard-working person, her 13th and last child who took care of her.

While she wept and had to be controlled by persons close to her, the most heart-wrenching part of the day was when one-year-old, Stevanae, upon seeing her father's motor car being taken away by a tow truck, started to cry, 'Daddy, daddy'.

The police have not established a motive for the killing.