Glenroy Sinclair, Assignment Coordinator

Angela Rodney, the 39-year-old mother of four who was shot and killed by a lone gunman on White Lane, off Henley Road in the Kingston 11 area, in happier times. - Contributed

Sensing that she would soon be killed, an emotional Angela Rodney, visited her elder sister last week and explained to relatives that it might be the last time they would be seeing her alive, because very soon she was going to be killed.

On Monday, exactly five days later, the 39-year-old mother of four was cornered and killed execution-style by a lone gunman. The shooting occurred on White Lane, a depressed community located off Henley Road, which runs off Spanish Town Road in Kingston.

The police said her death points back to an incident in July last year, when one of her sons was shot and injured by gunmen. She stood up for justice and pursued the matter in the courts. Two men were eventually convicted, but they appealed the verdict.

The trouble began when she started receiving death threats.

"They said if they did not catch her, then they would kill one of us (relatives). Angela did not want any of us to die. Is like she give up her life for us," said a family member who spoke with The Gleaner yesterday. "I am now pleading with them not to kill any more of us because we and nobody don't have any problem. They know why they killed her," the relative continued.

Killed close to home

Rodney was sitting on a bench on the sidewalk, about 20 metres from her gate, when she was attacked and killed. She was self-employed and was also the bread winner for her family.

"We were there sitting when we saw a strange looking man walking towards us. While talking on his cellular phone, he pointed a gun at me and I begged him to spare me and my son's life. He nodded and said no, it was not us," an eyewitness said.

Nobody knew who was going to die, until the gunman who was still talking on the cellular phone, shot Miss Rodney in the leg.

"She tried to escape, but fell on her face. Her head was in the gutter water when he came over her and shot her three more times and walked away," the eyewitness further said.

Horrified family members, including Rodney's 11-year-old daughter, who is preparing for the GSAT exams in March, along with her nine-year-old son, watched in agony as she took her last breath.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Michael Phipps, crime officer for St. Andrew South, said the police were aware that she was targeted and were investigating the matter. The police said at one stage, Rodney was offered protection under the witness-protection programme, but she had not accepted the offer.

The police are now in the process of providing counselling for the traumatised children.

glenroy.sinclair@gleanerjm.com