ÐÓ°ÉÐÔ°É

What was a home filled with joyful memories of Sydonie Higgins' one-year-old twin daughters playing and laughing with their father is now a space of agony marked by his bloodstains and bullet holes.

With tears in her eyes, Higgins showed what appears to be bullet holes in the wall of the house they shared with Shaquille Dawkins at 100 Lane, off Red Hills Road in St Andrew.

She told THE STAR that about 8:35 Friday morning, police knocked on her door, stating that they were looking for Dawkins, her partner of three years.

"When mi get up fi open di door mi hold pan one baby and give him the next baby, and when di police come in one a dem seh yuh hold pan 'yuh baby eehhh'...Then dem seh get up an put on yuh clothes. Him seh to mi, 'Pass mi di shirt', and same as mi a guh pass the shirt, the police seh, 'Weh yuh a guh?'. And by time mi fi seh mi a guh pass di shirt, dem chuck mi through the door," Higgins said.

She explained that while on the outside of their home she had one of their twin daughters while the other was still inside with Dawkins, who also answers to the name 'Dawg Teeth'.

"Mi de deh and mi seh, Shaquille, dem seh dem a guh carry yuh guh a station, just mek dem carry yuh gwan nuh. And him seh to mi seh, 'Yuh nuh see seh a come dem come fi kill mi.'

Those were his last words she heard from her 28-year-old boyfriend. Gunshots rang out from inside the house soon after. She alleged that one of the cops who entered the house held the infant child who was with Dawkins.

While too young to grasp the enormity of the situation, Higgins told told THE STAR that the twin girls have recognised that their father is no longer around.

"From yesterdeh dem just deh pan 'Dada! Dada! Dada! And every time mi hear dem say it, mi cry," Higgins said, adding that Dawkins, was a very good father.

"Even the night before mi seh to him, Shaquille six Pampers leave and the feeding weh deh there it only a guh serve dem fi tonight, and him she 'Babes, tomorrow morning mi mek yuh get the money fi buy the Pampers and the feeding. Him never mek it out fi buy dem," Higgins added, as she broke down in tears.

Following the killing of Dawkins, residents of 100 Lane have, on two occasions, blocked the main road in their demand for justice.

"Him is no bad man, unless a TikTok bad man. Dat yute is no don, [him] is no gunman, and dem come a murder him in a cold blood. Dem police yah a wicked," one resident said.

In another incrident, which took place in the Hunts Bay area, along York Avenue, a similar grieve and fear is gripping the community following the shooting of fatal shooting of 20-year-old Shamar Riley by police.

Police reports are that about 12:10 a.m., police personnel were on operation at Angola Way in Hunts Bay, when they were allegedly challenged by Riley, who was armed with a gun.

The police reportedly took evasive action and fired, injuring Riley. Riley was then taken to the Kingston Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The police said they seized a pistol affixed with a magazine containing two rounds of ammunition from Riley.

Residents told THE STAR that Riley was returning home from a nine-night when, upon noticing the police, he ran because the area was under curfew.

"Is an innocent youth. One bag a lie the police dem a tell. Dem don't find nuh gun and him never shoot after dem. Is lie. Dung to we did a beg dem nuh fi kill him because a good yute. From him a pickney til now a good yute," one resident said.

Riley's, father Robert Riley, was in bed when he heard the first two shots. He instantly tried calling his son's phone but could not get through. In that moment he knew something was wrong.

"A me grow him and him never walk wid a knife much less a gun. If him was a bad man, best believe mi wouldn't feel suh because if yuh duh wrong yuh affi deal wid the consequences of it. My granny teach mi dat, but mi son did innocent," he said with tears in his eyes.