The Tribune

By RICARDO WELLS

Tribune Staff Reporter

rwells@tribunemedia.net

A MAN was shot and killed in the Wilson Tract area off Wulff Road yesterday morning, pushing the country’s murder count for the first half of the year to 74.

Police responded to reports of gunfire shortly after 11am and at the scene, officers found a 31-year-old man with gunshot wounds. Police said the man had been walking in the street when he was shot dead.

Area residents have identified the victim as Teraz “Razz” Johnson.

Officer-in-charge of the Central Detective Unit, Chief Superintendent Paul Rolle, told reporters that police are looking for a gunman who was seen arguing with the victim before his death.

“Our preliminary information is that this young man was walking through a track road along with another male, when it appears as though there was an exchange of words between both of them. The young man that was along with him produced a handgun and began discharging shots in his direction.

“The assailant then ran west towards Wilson Tract and disappeared out of the view of those persons in the general vicinity. We are asking persons in this area that might have seen anything to come forward and provide that information to the police so that we can advance this investigation,” Chief Supt Rolle added.

Meanwhile, Khandi Gibson, president and founder of outreach group Families of All Murder Victims (FOAM), yesterday questioned how high the nation’s homicide toll had to rise before government and citizens took issue with it.

The total of 74 to the end of June is considerably ahead of the 64 in the same period in 2014.

Ms Gibson said the time for pointing fingers has passed, adding that the only way to solve the country’s crime problem is through unity.

“I think now is the time for us to band together, unite; the blame game has to stop now,” she told The Tribune. “Whoever had the billboard signs up, who didn’t have it up, who said they were going to win the war on crime – no one is winning. Persons are losing their loved ones daily and only the family members left behind are the real victims.

“These families are hurting, the majority of these murders are happening in the ghetto. We now have to unite. Let’s stop pointing fingers now and come together, enough is enough.”

Ms Gibson warned that there was a potential for retaliation shootings following yesterday’s incident.

“Every time there is a murder there is concern about a retaliation because when people feel like the police have failed them, the justice system failed them, what else is left for them to do?

“It is sad, I don’t want to see it happen, but what is really left for the people to do? They want answers, they are hurting, they are angry and the sad part about it is the government has put nothing in place for family members who are traumatised.”

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