Shot dead by his sister's friend

over 2 years in Jamaica Observer

Ann-Marie Davis is devastated by the death of her brother, 53-year-old farmer Lloyd Davis. However, she's not angry at the cop accused of shooting him Thursday night during a party culminating the annual Maroon celebrations in Accompong, St Elizabeth."Di man weh do the shooting a mi friend," she told the Jamaica Observer on Friday, adding that the policeman did not know that the man with whom he had the altercation was her brother."Thursday when him a go road, him call to me inna di evening likkle before the incident happen. Mi nuh vex wid him. Mi feel seh if mi did deh deh, mi woulda tek weh mi bredda. When mi reach pon di scene and mi hear di people dem a call di youth name and mi run go back up di road and tell him seh a mi bredda him kill, he was shocked."At least six people, including a child, were shot and injured during the incident which has left a pall of gloom over the community.The celebrations were in full swing from Thursday morning until night, despite the police advising the public not to attend because of the possibility of it causing a spike in COVID-19 cases. The police said no permission was given by them or the Ministry of Health and Wellness for the celebrations to be held. However, colonel of the Accompong Maroons, Richard Currie, insisted that the important traditional event would not be stopped.Lloyd Davis, a resident of Bethsalem, a neighbouring community, was shot at least three times. The cop accused of the shooting is said to be a member of the Maroon community and was off-duty at the time of the incident.Reports circulating in the media suggested that policeman acted in self-defence after being attacked by Davis.Relatives and residents who were at the scene claimed that the policeman wanted to enter the party without paying the admission fee, which led to an argument. They alleged that the off-duty cop pushed Davis, who responded by hitting the policeman with a glass bottle.Gunfire erupted immediately after.On Friday, Colonel Currie had a private meeting with members of the St Elizabeth police before taking the cops to the scene of the shooting and the homes of Davis' relatives.In an interview with the Sunday Observer, Ann-Marie described her brother as her favourite sibling."Right now di whole community a mourn fi dat man. Is the best. A nine bredda a dem, enuh, and four sisters, and to me a di best gone. A my favourite. Everybody inna di community feel it. A since morning mi lay down and a seh mama have nine boy pickney and the comedian out a di nine a dem, a him gone lef we," she said.Her boyfriend, Randolph Genas, said the night was progressing well until the tragedy occurred."I was inside the party and he was heading inside. I heard the explosions; I heard that somebody got shot. When I come out I see a girl a tie one shirt pon a likkle pickney. After all of that mi hear seh Lloyd get shot up. It is a tragic incident and it shouldn't happen like that. We never expect it. This just mash up everybody system," Genas said."All mi see a people a run out and people a run in, but more a run out than who a run in. There were stalls in front of the the dance gate. Ah cross the road the people get shot, so anybody could get caught in the crossfire. When I reach outside, the shooting already tek place," he said."Lloyd and I interact so very close. Me and dat man share a close relationship, even before me and him sister got together. De man kind. Him will buy a crate a liquor fi everybody," Genas added.Davis' cousin, Sharlene, who was vending outside the party, showed the Sunday Observer a cooler and some of its contents that were pierced by bullets.Sharlene shared that her son was sitting behind the cooler and was fortunate to not have been hit by a bullet. She said that it was her stall into which Davis ran after he was hit by the first bullet."I was standing there and I don't know what really happened but him run come drop inna my stall. Mi not even did know seh a him drop inna mi stall. Mi couldn't manage to look at him. Mi never expect nothing like that," she said.Another of the dead man's sisters said the family's source of joy and laughter was stolen from them. She shared that Davis had just completed building his house in Bethsalem but died before getting the chance to sleep there."Every day a your life around him, you never sad. Him did fi move in December and him change him mind seh him nuh ready yet. Him not even get fi sleep inna him house one night. After him get shot again, him get up and run off but him couldn't mek it and him drop pon him face," she said.

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