By SANCHESKA BROWN

Tribune Staff Reporter

sbrown@tribunemedia.net

POLICE are investigating five separate shooting incidents in less than 12 hours that left four persons – two men and two women – dead and two other men fighting for their lives in hospital. The killings brought the country’s murder count for this year to 76, according to police sources, and an appeal for people to “please put down your guns”.

The most recent murder victim has been identified as Prince Wallace, an employee of the A Sure Win webshop, who was shot dead in his car around 8:30am yesterday in a residential area of Pinewood Gardens. He was shot by gunmen police believe were after a webshop money bag he was carrying.

Superintendent Paul Rolle, Officer in Charge of the Central Detective Unit, said these latest murders, coupled with 12 shootings over the weekend, “speaks to the level of disrespect” young people have for law enforcement agencies as well as the “disregard” for another person’s life.

Wallace is reportedly the brother of Andre Wallace, who died two weeks ago after the car he was in crashed into a pole and then careened a few feet along a cliff before stopping.

Distraught friends and family showed up to the crime scene as police processed the area yesterday, but refused to comment to the media.

Supt Rolle said the victim had just collected a deposit bag from a webshop in Nassau Village, when he was ambushed by three men carrying handguns, attempting to rob him.

“Shortly after 8:30am, a man was driving his Honda Civic vehicle east along Sapodilla Boulevard. He had just collected deposit bags from a local business establishment in Nassau Village and was being followed by a second car providing security,” said Supt Rolle.

“As he approached the junction of Willow Tree Avenue, three males in a gold coloured Honda overtook him and blocked the street.

“Two of the occupants exited the vehicle and began discharging shots into the vehicle hitting the driver, who lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a wall on Willow Tree Avenue,” he said.

“The driver of the second car collided into a wall on the southern side of Sapodilla Boulevard. He exited his vehicle and discharged shots at the suspects with his licensed shotgun as one of the men reached into the victim’s car and removed a box and fled back into their car.”

Supt Rolle said the suspects, in their haste, grabbed a box containing the victim’s personal items instead of the cash. The driver of the second vehicle, who The Tribune understands is an off-duty police officer, was unharmed during the incident. Mr Rolle said he is not sure if any of the suspects was shot during the exchange of fire.

The victim died on the scene. Sources say Prince Wallace was an employee of A Sure Win. When contacted an employee of the web shop confirmed the young man had worked for the company from its opening, but declined any further comment.

Supt Rolle said the spate of violent crime is evidence that criminals have no regard for the law or human life.

He said: “This weekend was a very busy, extremely busy one for police and it speaks to the level of disrespect for life and disrespect for one another and the disregard for life and the established institutions we have in this country. We need to try to resolve disputes.

“I continue to appeal to persons to use the systems in place. The police are here and want to help. We will do everything possible to help. Please, put down your guns and let us resolve these disputes in a sensible and humane way.”

Anyone with information on this homicide is asked to contact police at 911 or 919, the Central Detective Unit at 502-9991 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 328-TIPS.