August Town killings put renewed focus on wanted man Oshane 'Chucky' Morris

August Town in St Andrew has recorded its first murders in four years after two brothers were killed within a week, with investigators saying wanted man Oshane Morris, also known as Chucky, is suspected of directing the attacks.

The latest killing happened before dawn last Saturday. Police reports indicate that the man’s body was found with injuries believed to be gunshot wounds to the head, and that it had been partly burnt after a fire at a property on August Town Road.

Officers discovered the body after responding to reports that a building was on fire. Up to Monday, the police had not made public the name of the man killed on Saturday morning. He and his brother, who was killed earlier, are said to be related to reggae artiste Etana.

After the second death, Etana posted on social media that members of her family were being targeted. “My relatives are under attack in August Town. They have taken a second person this morning. He is mentally ill and they have burned my aunt’s shop to the ground,” she said.

Superintendent Mark Harris, commander of the St Andrew Central Police Division, which has responsibility for August Town, said police have been pressing their search for Morris, who has been listed as wanted for close to a year.

“As we speak, I am in the area,” Harris told the Jamaica Observer on Monday, as he said police were working to find Morris and keep the community calm.

Harris said the violence is centred on a section of August Town called African Gardens, where a gang dispute has been active since the start of the year and has now resulted in the deaths of the two brothers.

“It is said that they were ordered to be killed by a wanted man who is a gang leader in the area named Chucky,” Harris said.

According to Harris, security personnel remain heavily deployed in the community, including resources tied to a zone of special operations, but gunmen have still managed to strike during the night.

“We have a lot of resources in the area and a zone of special operations is also in the area, but these men manage to do these things at nights. One of the brothers was killed at 4:00 am. In that incident, they lit the house and when the fellow ran out they shot him,” Harris said.