Carjacker killed - Cabbie recalls near-death experience
BY HORACE HINES Observer West reporter
Thursday, July 25, 2013
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LITTLE LONDON, Westmoreland - One of two men who allegedly held up a Westmoreland taxi operator at gunpoint in Negril Tuesday night was shot and killed after he reportedly engaged a police team in a firefight early yesterday morning.
The police have not yet released the name of the deceased man.
Hide DescriptionTaxi operator Carl Williamson hides his face, as he recalls his encounter with two alleged carjackers in Negril on Tuesday night. (PHOTO: PHILLIP LEMONTE)
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His crony, who has been identified by a police source as the leader of a St James gang, sustained gunshot wounds during the incident. He has been admitted to hospital under police guard, said police investigators, who have confirmed the incident.
According to 43-year-old Carl Williamson who plies the Negril to Sheffield route, at about 11:00 pm Tuesday while he was driving along the Negril main road with a male passenger, he was signalled to stop by two young men.
He said the two young men came aboard his Toyota Corolla motor car and sat on the rear passenger seat.
He added that shortly after the two men settled down in the car, one of them brandished a gun and the other a knife. He said that they both attacked him and the passenger in the front seat and threatened to kill them.
"I was heading towards the Negril town centre when two young guys stopped me. They did not say anything when they came in, but in the space of about five seconds I just felt one of the guys held me around my neck and the other one held the passenger in the front seat and threatened to kill us, as they used expletives," the traumatised cabbie said yesterday, as he related his ordeal to the Observer West.
Fearing for his life, Williamson said, he held onto the hand of one of his attackers and a struggle ensued. During the ongoing struggle, he recalled, the passenger in the front seat jumped out of the moving car.
"When I see the gun I just didn't care what was going to happen, I just started to fight them in the car and the other guy (passenger in the front seat) jumped out of the car," said an obviously shaken Williamson.
He added that shortly afterwards when the car slowed down, he too jumped out of the vehicle, leaving his attackers in the back seat.
According to the cabbie, who escaped with minor injuries, the two assailants then took control of the car and drove away, leaving him stranded on a lonely section of the Negril roadway.
"I was crying and stopping cars along the roadway, but no one wanted to stop. But a friend came by eventually, and I told him what happened," recounted the distressed taximan.
He said they then reported the incident to the Negril police, who decided to go in search of the robbers.
The car with the men on board was spotted along the Bay Road community, which adjoins Little London, shortly at 1:00 am yesterday, Williamson said.
He said the driver of the vehicle was reportedly ordered to stop, but he accelerated and allegedly fired at the cops. The fire was returned and the driver lost control of the car which crashed into a naseberry tree.
After the shooting subsided the robbers were found suffering from gunshot wounds .
They were taken to hospital where one of them was pronounced dead.
Williamson yesterday had high praises for the police for their swift response.
"I congratulate the Jamaican police for a job well done," he remarked.


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