[UPDATED] Pleasantville man murdered

PLEASANTVILLE is no longer pleasant, was the sentiment expressed by residents following yet another murder in the community, “in broad daylight” on Thursday. This was the fourth murder in three months.

Shortly after noon on Thursday, Ronald McQueen also known as “Chappy” was gunned down as he stood in front of his house at Pleasantville Avenue. A gunman opened fire, with what is believed to be an automatic rifle.

Residents said the loud sound coming from the volley of bullets fired, reverberated throughout the community, causing them to leave their homes and gather in large numbers at the scene.

However no one was willing to admit to seeing anything out of fear for their lives.

They said Chappy tried to run, but fell just across the road from his house where he lived alone. Police markers indicated 25 spent shells were found at the scene which was processed by Homicide Region 111, CSI and CID officers. DMO Dr Daniel viewed the body, declared it dead and ordered its removal pending an autopsy at the Forensic Science Centre.

“They riddled the man chest boy,” said a neighbor as undertakers lifted the body from the ground showing red stains on his arms from under his short sleeve shirt and, on his chest as the fabric rolled up.

Residents said they were shocked by the killing as Chappy, 64, who was born and lived all his life in Pleasantville, was never known to have any brush with the law.

They said they did not know anyone who would want him dead.

A friend who looked on as his body laid on the ground, boxed off by yellow police caution tape on either side of the street said, “He was a good one. He never interfered with anybody. He liked to cuss, but the cursing was never directed at anyone. He would come out, drink a beer by the bar and go back inside,” a neighbor said.

They believe that he was not the intended target, but was used to send a message to a relative.

One of his six children Kizzy McQueen, who lived two houses away from him, said she never expected this is how her father would have transitioned from this earth.

She said she was not at home when the incident occurred, but got a call from someone who told her he had been shot.

Kizzy said she rushed home, but was not expecting to meet his corpse.

“I thought he was shot and would recover. He was just looking forward to receiving his pension in a few months, so he could retire and relax. He was a painter and worked on his own, but he was looking forward to stop working and live off his pension. He was looking forward to spending time with his children and grandchildren.”

Kizzy described her father as a “pleasant person. Always happy and liked to cuss.”

A neighbor said certain times of the year he would lock himself in his house and curse like he was going mad.

Kizzy said, “Not a single thing was wrong with him. That is how he was.”

She shrugged off sentiments expressed by one woman, “that people hand dirty (indicating obeah, dabbling with the occult).”

Kizzy said she last had a conversation with her father on Wednesday. She said she did now know where he was going when he stepped out of his home on Thursday. She guessed he might have been heading for one of the nearby bars, pointing out that it was never too early for him to take a drink.

Even though she could not comprehend why he was killed, Kizzy said she wanted to make no pronouncement about calling for justice.

“I just want him to rest in eternal peace,” she said.

Residents say Pleasantiville has become a hotspot and called on the authorities to take control.

At Cassia Avenue, Pleasantville, in August, a double murder was recorded. The victims in that incident were Akeem Vincent, 31 and Bevon Jules, 41.

In an early morning shooting in September, Keonn Andrews, 33, of Orchid Gardens, was killed on the pavement at the corner of Chaconia Avenue and Pleasantville Crescent, near the Pleasantville Plaza.

Investigations are continuing in all of these murders.

This story has been adjusted to include additional details. See original post below.

A 64-year-old man of Pleasantville Avenue was gunned down a stone’s throw away from his home, shortly after noon on Thursday.

Ronald McQueen, also known as “Chappy,” the father of six, was shot multiple times with an automatic rifle in a drive-by shooting.

Police found 26 spent shells at the scene of the murder.

Residents said he was born and bred in Pleasantville and had never been in any trouble with the law.

A neighbour said, “He was a good one. He never interfered with anybody. He liked to cuss, but the cursing was never directed at anyone. He would come out, drink a beer by the bar and go back inside.”

They believe that he was not the intended target, but was used to send a message to a relative.

Investigations are continuing.