Organised crime on cops’ radar in New Kingston murder

A 61-year-old Colombian national was gunned down in a brazen attack at Kensington Court in New Kingston on Friday night, in what investigators believe may be linked to transnational organised criminal activity.

The deceased has been identified as Julian Lopez.

The killing, which occurred at about 9:40 p.m., has intensified concerns about a recent flare-up of violent incidents in the commercial hub, even as security forces maintain that the latest case appears isolated from other recent murders in the area.

Preliminary reports indicate that the victim had been at the apartment complex, described as a one-entry, one-exit property, when a motor vehicle drove up.

He went downstairs from his room and reportedly engaged someone inside the vehicle in conversation moments before a lone gunman approached and opened fire.

The assailant unleashed a barrage of bullets, with sources suggesting the victim may have been hit as many as a dozen times, though that figure has not been officially confirmed.

The gunman reportedly escaped on foot in the area.

The Colombian national died at the scene.

Investigators have since revealed that the deceased was scheduled to depart Jamaica on Saturday, just hours after the fatal shooting.

A senior police source close to the investigation told The Gleaner that early findings point to a possible connection to organised criminal networks operating beyond Jamaica’s borders.

“The last one (murder) appears to be transnational organised crime out of Colombia at this early stage,” the highly placed source said.

UNCOVERED EVIDENCE

Detectives, acting on leads, searched the apartment, believed to have been rented as an Airbnb, and reportedly uncovered evidence of large financial transactions in the form of transfers.

The authorities now suspect that the victim might have been involved in illicit activities, potentially linked to drug trafficking.

“This matter is being treated as transnational in nature, based on what we have uncovered so far,” the source said, noting that the investigation remains in its early stages.

Despite the brazen nature of Friday night’s killing, law-enforcement officials insist it is not connected to two other recent murders in the New Kingston area.

On April 20, police reports indicate that a man was found dead along Trafalgar Road with severe head injuries.

A boulder was reportedly found next to the body, suggesting it was used to inflict wounds.

Another individual was injured in that incident and taken to the Kingston Public Hospital.

Then, 48 hours later, on Wednesday morning, a separate gun murder was reported in the vicinity of Trinidad Terrace and Grenada Crescent.

According to police sources, those incidents are believed to involve members of the homeless population.

Still, residents and stakeholders have expressed growing unease over the spate of violence in what is traditionally viewed as a relatively secure business and residential district.

RESIDENTS CONCERNED

Friday night’s shooting also left multiple vehicles inside the apartment damaged by gunfire, further heightening alarm among residents of Kensington Court, who now question the safety of their community.

The latest incident marks the second reported shooting at the complex in recent months.

In February, gunfire erupted at the same location in an incident reportedly involving members of the security forces, though details surrounding that event remain unclear.

For many, the recurrence of violence at the property within such a short time span has deepened concerns.

“I heard the gunshots and I said, ‘Again? This cannot be happening.’ Then I heard the news that it was in fact a murder,” a resident in close proximity told The Gleaner.

While the authorities have sought to reassure the public that the killings are not part of a broader pattern, the convergence of local violence and suspected international criminal links underscores the evolving nature of drugs and crime in Jamaica.

As investigators continue to piece together the circumstances surrounding the Colombian national’s killing, questions remain about how deeply entrenched transnational networks may be within the island, and what that could mean for public safety going forward.

The St Andrew Central Police Division recorded nine murders as at April 18.

This represents a reduction of 36 per cent year-on-year.

andre.williams@gleanerjm.com