A three-year-old boy was gunned down at his home in Denham Town, Kingston, early Saturday morning in a shooting that also left his father and another child injured. The deceased, Zaylon Pinnock, was at home on Nelson Street when the incident occurred.
Police report that sometime after 1:00 a.m., gunmen arrived at the premises, which also operates as a business. To get close without raising suspicion, the gunmen approach the property under the guise of being customers.
Investigators say the attackers then opened fire, targeting several occupants inside the home. When the shooting subsided, Zaylon, his father, and another child were found suffering from gunshot wounds. The three victims were taken to the hospital, where Zaylon was pronounced dead. His father and the other child remain hospitalised and continue to receive treatment.
Zaylon’s mother, Ladania Cunningham, was sobbing in grief at the scene as loved ones tried to console her. Despite her anguish, she expressed a firm commitment to assist investigators and support efforts to bring those responsible to justice.
“Me a ride and die with the police dem. Me no fraid when me a talk. Me a ride and die, unu affi kill me,” she told the Jamaica Observer. The grieving mother said that the child and his brother were both on his father’s bed when the incident occurred. “Unu take weh me belly pain – three-year-old,” she added.
Later Saturday, two men were identified by police as persons of interest. The men, known only by the aliases ‘Juby’ and ‘Romy,’ are believed to be affiliated with the Scream Corner gang. Authorities have given them 24 hours to report to the Denham Town Criminal Investigation Branch.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Michael Phipps, citing the preliminary information, said investigations currently point to gang activity. Phipps, who oversees the Area 4 police division, said police believe that the fatal shooting is connected to renewed gang activity within Denham Town.
According to Phipps, early intelligence suggests that ongoing rivalry among criminal groups competing for territorial control may be a possible motive behind the violence.
He noted that the community had experienced a period of relative calm due to sustained intervention measures by the police. However, investigators now intend to carry out further operations and community engagements to determine what led to the attack and to prevent additional incidents.
The senior officer also confirmed that the area has been under curfew since Thursday, a measure implemented by Joint Commanders as part of broader security efforts.
Phipps emphasised that law enforcement will continue working to restore stability and maintain peace in the community as investigations unfold.
