(Jamaica Gleaner) The family of a popular Westmoreland promoter, who allegedly killed himself after shooting his girlfriend and his best friend in a bizarre incident early yesterday morning, says they believe he was murdered and the story fabricated as a cover-up.
The dead man has been identified as 28-year-old Daniel Porter.
His girlfriend and best friend, who suffered bullet wounds after Porter initially fired at them with an illegal firearm, were both treated at hospital and released.
According to police reports, shortly after 3 a.m. yesterday, Porter and his girlfriend, who were at the Chantilly Gardens home of his best friend and neighbour, had an argument and he pulled an illegal firearm and opened fire at her.
On hearing the shot, the best friend, who was in another part of the house, reportedly went to investigate and he, too, was shot.
Porter reportedly then ran into a bathroom, where he allegedly shot and killed himself.
Porter’s mother, Andrea Grey, who heard the shots from her kitchen, has flatly rejected the survivors’ account of the incident.
“Daniel went over to the yard at about 9:30 p.m,” the grieving mother told The Gleaner, adding that he told her he would be spending the night next door.
She said that she woke up about 3 a.m. with a headache and went into her kitchen to get a bit of garlic when she heard explosions coming from the neighbour’s house.
“I heard explosions, but I thought they were knocking pieces of board together. It was after I heard a commotion outside that I got concerned and called Daniel’s phone, but he did not answer,” said Grey.
The mother said that she then called the girlfriend of Daniel’s best friend, who was also in the house next door, and she told her that Daniel had shot his girlfriend and his best friend and then killed himself.
The frightened mother said she ran outside just in time to see Daniel’s girlfriend and his friend being rushed off to the hospital. She later saw Daniel, who appeared to be lifeless, in a pool of blood on the bathroom floor.
Donald Porter, the dead man’s father, told The Gleaner that his son was right-handed, so he found it strange that he was shot on the left side of his head, and, like Daniel’s mother, he is calling on the police to carry out a full investigation.
Other residents believe that, based on recent developments between the deceased man and his girlfriend, he could have carried out the act, as he was upset that she was ending their relationship.
Superintendent Robert Gordon, commanding officer for the Westmoreland police, used the tragedy to urge persons to seek professional help to deal with domestic disputes, instead of resorting to violence.