NORWOOD, St James — Up to late Saturday evening a tense calm blanketed sections of this community on the outskirts of tourism capital Montego Bay, following the brutal gun slaying of four individuals in two separate incidents over a 12-hour period.

All that occurred even as a zones of special operations (ZOSO) were active within the area.

According to Minister of National Security Dr Horace Chang the four killings mark a first within the Norwood ZOSO since it was established in April of last year.

“This area has been very quiet, in fact it’s the first incident since the zone of special operations was declared. But in one incident you end up with this kind of thing…within minutes you end up with nine people shot and four deaths,” remarked Dr Chang, who is also Member of Parliament for St James North West in which Norwood falls.

On Saturday morning the police were called to investigate the shooting death of 22-year-old Damion Minto, otherwise called “Copper”, 25-year-old Lenroy Martin, also called Akeem, and Delano Spence.

Minto, a funeral home employee, and Martin, who worked in a wholesale, are from the Warrica community, while Spence is said to be from a nearby community.

The triple murder came sharply on the heels of that of 17-year-old Devonte Lindo, who was shot and killed about 9:15 pm on Friday night in a section of the Norwood community referred to as Cherry Gardens.

It is uncertain if both incidents are connected.

“We are not sure but it appears to be a retaliation by his friends and family on this community which was not aware of involvement in any kind of activity at all,” Dr Chang further stated.

Reports are that about 9:45 am, several armed men entered into the Warrica Drive section of the Norwood community on foot and started shooting, in the process hitting a number of people.

Eight of them were shot and the three men later died at hospital while the child and four others have been admitted.

The young girl is said to have been shot by a stray bullet which flew threw her living room window as she was preparing to go to church.

It is believed that one of the three men who died was one of the men that carried out the attack and was hit by his cronies.

“There is one person who was shot and killed, and allegedly he was one of the attackers, so it is clear where this is coming from and the investigative nodes so far is pointing us in the right direction,” Assistant Commissioner of Police, Clifford Chambers said.

The police said that 50 spent shells were later recovered by them from the crime scene.

Minister Chang also expressed confidence that the perpetrators of the crime will be caught soon.

“The police have good information from intelligence activity and we expect them to apprehend the criminals very quickly. There are clear indications from where they came from and who they are,” he remarked.

Dr Chang, however, lamented the death of Minto, whom he helped during his years at school.

“One of the young men is one of my students. I helped his parents put him through school … sober working young person, bright young man looking towards going to college,” the minister said.

Speaking to the mother of Martin, who identified herself as Sunshine, she said that she was at the police station visiting another son who had been arrested, adding that she had brought him some food.

“A some food mi bring go give me odda son when mi hear say them shot him (Lenroy),” she said.

She shared that her son was a good individual, even though there were times when they had disagreements.

“Mi son a one good youth, him no gi no problem, more while mi and him wi have a discussion, wrong discussion that’s all,” she stated.