WESTMORELAND, Jamaica— A Westmoreland taxi operator met his demise in Bull Savannah Wednesday evening, November 29, 2023, when an unknown assailant opened fire on him and subsequently stole his motor car.
The authorities identified the deceased as Romie Taylor, 35, of a Burnt Savannah, Frome address.
According to the police report, at about 6:30 p.m., Taylor was standing at a car wash when a motorbike with two men aboard pulled up.
The pillion rider reportedly disembarked from the motorcycle and brandished a firearm. He then opened fire, hitting Taylor on the right side of his head and his upper and lower back.
The shooter then reportedly jumped into the taxi operator’s Grey 2011 Toyota Voxy motorcar and sped away while the other man escaped on the motorbike.
Authorities at the Savanna-La-Mar Public General Hospital pronounced the taxi operator dead on arrival.
The police did not establish a motive for the shooting. The investigation is ongoing.
Six people were arrested after an illegal gun and ammunition were seized.
ST ELIZABETH, Jamaica–Law enforcement officers in St. Elizabeth on Wednesday, November 29, 2023, seized an illegal gun and more than 40 rounds of ammunition during an operation conducted along the Holland Bamboo main road.
Acting Superintendent Coleridge Minto, head of the St. Elizabeth Police, confirmed that a police team found the illegal items after stopping a Toyota Axio motorcar and searching the occupants and vehicle.
“At the end of the search, the police seized one Glock pistol, two magazines, and 42 rounds of live ammunition.”
Acting Superintendent Coleridge Minto, head of the St. Elizabeth Police
The senior officer said the police arrested two occupants of the Toyota Axio and detained four other occupants of another car traveling in the convoy for questioning.
He added that the St. Elizabeth police are on high alert for criminals invading the division after fleeing the state of emergency in St. James.
According to Minto, operational activities are carried out at an increased level in a state of emergency. During those times, we’ll always find persons moving across borders into what I consider the safer parishes. But he hastens to say St. Elizabeth is not a safe parish for criminals.
“We have increased our border patrols; we have joint operations between our neighboring divisions, Westmoreland and Manchester, to ensure that we are holding our borders to prevent any kind of activities for persons that will want to escape the state of emergency to come through the parish of St. Elizabeth,” he warned.
Acting Superintendent Coleridge Minto, head of the St. Elizabeth Police