Powder Magazine residents: Community filled with 'goodness'

Residents of Phase One, Powder Magazine, Cocorite say stigmas about crime in the area are unfounded as the community is all about “goodness and love.”

A shooting in the community on Saturday night left four men dead and eight more wounded.

Newsday visited the Housing Development Corporation (HDC) apartment complex on Monday and saw armed police officers patrolling the street outside and a tent with members of the police Victim and Witness Support Unit near the gate.

Residents were hesitant to speak with the media. The few who did all said they were shocked to hear the gunshots so close to the compound.

“Since I come inside here to live, me ent know this kind of thing going on. I know inside of here is a peaceful community,” said one woman. She added, “I can't see no motive for people coming here to do that.”

Another woman, whose relative was shot, said she is angry as shootings are not a common occurrence in the area.

“Is goodness in here. Everybody does come to lime. Any hour, you can see people liming and children outside playing. All the shots fire and nobody ent even fire back because nobody in here on that.”

Another nearby woman said there was no gang issue in the area.

“It don’t have that in here. Nobody who dead by those buildings was in anything. In here is a love. Is just a love. All of we was one.”

One man said he appreciated the police presence but called for a more permanent solution to addressing residents’ concerns.

“We feel much safer because we don't know if the guys (gunmen) could come back.

“I don't know how long the police could (stay here)…but otherwise, we have so much to do and we wouldn't let that stop us (if they leave).”

He suggested a card-controlled barrier to limit access to the compound.

Police Victim and Witness Support officer Christine Forde said residents have embraced the services they are offering.

“They have accepted the intervention, so there will be follow-up conversations with them where we could help them deal with it and help them give them coping strategies that will help them regain some sort of normalcy in their lives.”

Forde said the unit is also referring them to state agencies which may be able to assist with grants.

Forde said any member of the community who felt uncomfortable speaking with them in public could visit the Four Roads, Carenage or West End police stations and ask to speak with a victim and witness support officer.