Gunned down: Vendor murdered at stall nearby Cement Company.

The Eastern Kingston police are currently investigating the death of a vendor who was killed nearby the Cement Company. It is believed that around 7:50 a.m. on Monday morning (April 29), the vendor was at his stall which is under a bus stop adjacent to Carib Cement Company's main entrance, when he was attacked and killed by a lone gun man. The incident occurred along the Sir Florizel Glasspole Highway.

It is reported that gun shots were heard and the police were called to the location where they found the man lying in a pool of blood. It is alleged that around 7:50 a.m., a car drove up on the opposite side of the road and a male occupant, who was shirtless alighted from the vehicle, approached the victim and pretended to purchase an item from him.

It is believed that the man who had engaged the vendor, shot him repeatedly then hurriedly returned to the waiting vehicle, and it sped off in the direction of Harbour View.

It is understood that the spot, which had been used as a usual vending area, catering to workers of Carib Cement Company and nearby establishments, was vacant for sometime after the original operator, a woman, was gunned down a year ago.

“It’s a stall where cement factory workers especially would get little snacks and thing ... no matter what shift, you don’t have to walk far to get something. A same way they killed a woman dem call ‘Bikey’ right there and the spot was vacant for a while ... what’s so special about that spot. It was a surprise to come here this morning and see police tape off the place,” a usual customer of the victim said.

Meanwhile the East Kingston Police Division has seen a five per cent reduction in murders as at April 20 this year.

At the same time last year there were 19 murders, compared to 18 this year.

Shootings, however, have increased in the division by seven per cent year-on-year.