By SANCHESKA BROWN

Tribune Staff Reporter

sbrown@tribunemedia.net

A 25-year-old man became the country’s latest murder victim when he was shot in the head during an altercation late on Sunday night in Yellow Elder Gardens.

According to police, the victim was sitting on the porch of a house on Old Cedar Street around 11:30pm when he was approached by a man carrying a handgun.

The two men got into an argument that resulted in the victim being shot in the head at close range. He died on the scene.

The suspect escaped on foot through nearby bushes. Police have not identified the victim, but The Tribune understand he is Kenrico Rolle, a resident of Romer Street in Fox Hill.

The murder comes nearly 24 hours after Prime Minister Perry Christie pledged that his government will redouble its efforts in fighting crime.

At a funeral for his former Press Secretary Latore Mackey, 37, on Saturday, Mr Christie said the government will establish new programmes in the country to curb and reduce crime.

“Latore fought an election on the basis that we would do all in our power to get rid of this menace. To my colleagues, as we reflect on his life and the meaning of it, of his commitment to the course of which I spoke, we owe it to him, as we do to all victims in this country, to re-dedicate ourselves and re-double our efforts towards ensuring that we have in place in this country comprehensive programmes that could lead these young men who kill and young men who are killed, all victims, to find another way.”

Mackey was killed on August 25. He was one of five men killed in less than 36 hours. After his murder, Mr Christie said he would convene special crime meetings with Minister of National Security Dr Bernard Nottage and Police Commissioner Ellison Greenslade.

Mr Christie has not yet revealed the outcome of those meetings.

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