Hitman, victim dead in shootout

UPDATE:

TWO men are dead after a suspected assassination went wrong in Belmont yesterday.

At around 11 am, 17-year-old Kobe Brown, aka “Bottles,” was shot and killed at his home in an exchange of gunfire with Kareem Stanislaus and another, masked gunman on the steps of Walcott Lane, off Belle Eau Road

Investigators believe in his last moments Brown drew his own gun, a .9 mm pistol, and shot his attacker several times through his bulletproof vest and once in the head. The other attacker escaped as Stanislaus collapsed on the steps outside Brown’s house.

Stanislaus was described by investigators as a “priority suspect” in several cases and was detained during the 2011 State of Emergency for alleged gang affiliation.

The Homicide Bureau Region One is investigating and believes they may have been killed as part of an ongoing gang war in the area.

Newsday spoke to a relative of Brown, who said he was at home at the time of the incident and that the killing was due to increasing tension between Rasta City and Muslim gang members.

The man, who asked not to be named, said he was fearful for his life, and believes Brown may have been drawn into the conflict by the company he kept. He said he believes at least one of Brown’s killers was an old acquaintance from the past.

“I was just walking into the lane when I saw one of the guys with his mask on and another person right behind him wearing a bulletproof vest. When I heard the shooting I got down and hid. Those guys used to be cool with us when we first moved into the neighbourhood, but over time, for some reason they started being more hostile.”

The man said he was afraid to return to the neighbourhood as he believes, he may be their next target.

In an unrelated incident, residents found the body of an unidentified man at Morne Coco Road, Maraval yesterday. At around 9 am, passersby noticed an arm protruding from a garbage bag in the road and called Western Division police.

Up until press time the identity of the man remained unknown. An autopsy is expected to be done today.

Newsday contacted ACP for crime Irwin Hackshaw, who said the police remain committed in the fight against crime and he was optimistic that a recent emergency meeting between various divisional heads of the police and the national security minister would bear fruit.

ORIGINAL STORY:

Two men are dead after a suspected assassination went wrong in Belmont this morning.

According to reports, Kobe Brown aka "Bottles" was shot and killed at his home after an exchange of gunfire with Kareem Stanislaus on the steps of Walcott Lane, off Bell Eau Road.

Investigators believe at the last moment, Brown managed to draw his own gun, a .9 mm pistol, shooting his attacker several times in his bulletproof vest and once in the head. Stanislaus collapsed on the steps outside of Brown's house.

Brown was described by investigators as a "priority suspect" in several cases and was detained during the 2011 State of Emergency for alleged gang affiliation.

Officers of the Homicide Bureau Region One are continuing investigations.