(Jamaica Gleaner) A well-known medical doctor and two brothers were among four persons fatally shot on Saturday as gunmen ran riot in Spring Gardens, St James, and Central Village, St Catherine.
Celebrated obstetric gynaecologist Dr Barrington ‘Barry’ Dixon was murdered in his house in Spring Gardens while brothers Craig Cayman, 28, and Shane Cayman, 23, and a man so far identified only as ‘Daniel’ were killed in Central Village.
The killing of Dr Dixon sent shock waves through the medical fraternity, with Health Minister Dr Fenton Ferguson among those expressing regret.
“My sadness is more profound as Dr Dixon’s family has served the wider field of medicine and other endeavours with distinction,” said Ferguson.
“Two of his sisters – Jennifer, a medical practitioner, and Joan, a hospital administrator – work at the Cornwall Regional Hospital and his father was a distinguished pharmacist who gave to the community,” added Ferguson.
And opposition spokesman on health Dr Kenneth Baugh described Dixon as a gentle, personable obstetrician and gynaecologist who was highly qualified and would have been at the top of the field in any country in which he worked.
“Dr Dixon and I have been friends for a lifetime, from being fellow students at Cornwall College through UWI (University of the West Indies), and closer than brothers as colleagues in the profession of medicine and in the management of the difficult nascent years of the Cornwall Regional Hospital,” said Baugh.
Dixon had served for more than 30 years at the Cornwall Regional Hospital in St James, spending more than 20 years as its senior medical officer.
Friend and colleague Stephen Fray regarded the doctor as a compassionate physician.
“When I came to the hospital as an intern, Dr Dixon was the one who trained me, and I was so impressed with how caring and compassionate he was with his patients; most of what I know today was because of him,” the saddened doctor revealed.
Up to press time yesterday, the deputy superintendent in charge of crime for St James, Winston Hunt, said the police had not determined a motive for the killing.
In the meantime, the community of Central Village remained very tense yesterday afternoon following the attack which left the three men dead and two others hospitalised.
Residents demanded additional police presence in the community which has been the scene of several violent incidents since the start of the year.
“I think that the police need to be more vigilant in the community, as it is known that the area is tense,” said Donovan Guy, councillor for the Twickenham Division.
“What happened has reversed all the positives; it is a major disappointment for St Catherine. We will continue to pray for peace,” said Edwards.
Operations Officer for the St Catherine South police division, Superintendent Clive Blair, told our news team that additional cops have been posted in the area, but a gang feud is making policing difficult.