Richard Morais, Gleaner Writer

WESTERN BUREAU:

A man who was successful in bidding for a refrigerator in The Gleaner's Western Bureau Western Focus auction last year, and bought $5,000 (three million dollars in Focus money) on Thursday, in anticipation of the annual auction today, was shot and killed in his community of Norwood, Montego Bay, St James, hours later.

Nathaniel, Barrett, 44, a labourer of Bread Lane, is one of the latest victims in the murder rampage that has snuffed out close to 700 lives since the start of the year. Approximately 77 persons have been killed in the parish of St James since the beginning of 2008.

Mistaken identity

The CCN reports that Barrett and another man were standing outside a shop on Paradise Crescent when a car drove up with two men. One alighted with a handgun, opened fire and shot both men. They were rushed to hospital where Barrett was pronounced dead. The police report that a number of 9mm spent shells were found at the scene of the incident. Unconfirmed reports are that it was a case of mistaken identity.

Members of staff of The Gleaner's Western Bureau reacted with shock yesterday on hearing of Barrett's death. His presence at the auction today, at the Dump Up Beach on Howard Cooke Boulevard, was much anticipated as he had been buying more than $750 worth of newspapers each week since the start of the competition in March. He had hoped to walk away with the prizes of a water heater and a digital camera.

The Montego Bay CIB, which is investigating, has not established a motive for the killing.