Ex-kidnap accused gunned down in Morvant

A man who was released on a kidnapping charge just six months ago was gunned down Monday in a hail of bullets. Reginald Gibson, of Phase Four Beetham Estate, was shot six times while sitting on a piece of concrete at Paradise Heights, Morvant. According to reports, Gibson, also called “Bawler,” an ex-Special Reserve Police officer, was on the block around 7.30 pm gathering names for work on an Unemployment Relief Program-me project on Monday, when three men walked up and loud explosions were heard. When the shooting stopped, Gibson lay dead with bullet wounds to his head and body. DMO Dr Holder visited the scene, pronounced the man dead, and ordered the body removed to the Forensic Sciences Centre. Police recovered six shells at the scene of the murder.

When Newsday visited the Paradise Height area where Gibson was killed, residents refused to say anything. The dead man’s sister, Melissa Gibson, said she believed her brother was killed because of jealousy. “After spending six months in jail for kidnapping and being freed six months ago, then getting two URP contracts, and expecting to get more, plus a National Housing Authority and CEPEP contract after the Budget, people were jealous of him. “The last time I spoke to him is when he called me at 5.30 pm and said he was collecting names in Paradise Heights to start on his URP gang on Monday. The next I heard about him is when his driver came and told me he was shot. “By the time I reached, he was dead.

“Bawler was a happy jovial fella who was the life of the area and should not have been killed so. His killers must be brought to justice.” The father of two was charged with Sheldon “Skelly” Lovell and Kenny Bonnet in July 2003 for the kidnapping of Yves Ayoung Chee and Benedict  Barette. Matters against him and the other men were recently dismissed because the two victims had migrated and were unavailable to give evidence in court. Police believe the killing was gang-related, since Gibson was a member of a well-known Laven-tille gang involved in an ongoing conflict. Cpl Mercer of the Besson Street police is investigating.