Gutters gun attack leaves mechanic seriously wounded

The victim whose identity is being withheld is said to be of a Spanish Town address. Old Harbour News understands that he is currently undergoing emergency surgery at a hospital where he is listed in serious condition with multiple gunshot wounds.

Investigators from the St. Catherine South Police Division are probing the brazen pre-dawn shooting, which unfolded at approximately 3:50 a.m. near the OJ's Night Club and OJ's Plaza.

Reports from the Old Harbour police, indicate that the now victim had just stopped at OJ’s Enterprise Wholesale & Retail, which operates a 24-hour service, to make a purchase. Upon returning to his Silver Toyota Mark X, which was parked on the opposite side of the main thoroughfare, a Silver/Grey Toyota Axio drove up. Without warning, one or more occupants inside the Axio sprayed the mechanic with bullets before speeding off. 

The mechanic sustained gunshot wounds to his left shoulder, both hips, his right hand, and his back. Bystanders rushed him from the bloodied scene to the hospital by private motor vehicle ahead of the arrival of emergency services.

The shooting scene, situated on the main artery connecting Old Harbour to Spanish Town, immediately paralyzed vehicular movement. At the time of publishing, a significant portion of the roadway remains sealed off with yellow crime scene tape as Scene of Crime detectives meticulously comb the area for forensic evidence, including spent shells.

The resulting gridlock created absolute chaos for early-morning commuters and truckers. The traffic pile-up reportedly stretched westward all the way to Marlie Mount, a distance of nearly three miles. Fuming motorists who contacted Old Harbour News expressed their frustration at being stranded for over an hour.

"Mi left mi yard 4 o'clock to catch the early shift and nothing nah move. It just bumper to bumper from Marlie Mount straight back," one exasperated taxi operator said via WhatsApp. "Dem need to clear one side of the road because man a lose money and time."

Commuters were advised to seek alternative routes via the toll road or Lloyd’s Pen/Old Harbour Bay artery, though the latter is in a poor condition.

The police have yet to establish a motive for the shooting. When pressed for comment, a divisional officer indicated that detectives are exploring all angles, including the possibility of a targeted ambush. "The manner in which the Axio drove up and the occupants immediately opened fire suggests this was a planned attack," the source stated.

Anyone with information regarding the movement of a Silver/Grey Toyota Axio during the early morning hours is being urged to contact the Old Harbour Police, Crime Stop at 311, or the nearest police station.