October 16, 2026

St. Andrew South police beef up presence in Olympic Gardens to prevent counter reprisal attacks, following recent murders

The St. Andrew South Police have beefed up their presence in the Olympic Gardens community to prevent any reprisal attack, amid tension and recent murders linked to the Wailers and Balcombe Rrive Gangs.

At the same time, the police have heightened their alertness, following the fatal shooting of an alleged wailers gang member, who was a suspect in the recent double murder incident in Balcombe Drive.

Reports are that on Sunday October 11, two men and a woman were shot, along Balcombe Drive.

The 3 were pounced upon by armed men travelling in a grey Honda Fit Shuttle motor car, who alighted from the vehicle and opened gunfire hitting them.

Those killed are, 54-year-old Kirk Winston Jenkins also known as Harry of Antigua Road, Kingston; and 57-year-old Andrew Berry otherwise called Budu Bye, a painter of Bay Farm Road, Kingston.

The wounded woman was admitted at hospital for treatment.

Then, on Tuesday October 13, at about 6 P.M., a police team conducting operational duties in the Wailers community received information about armed men, in Penwood Lane.

The team responded and while conducting checks at a premises, reportedly encountered a man who pointed a firearm in their direction.

One police officer, fearing for his life, discharged his weapon, hitting the man.

The wounded man was taken to hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The man was later identified as 31-year-old Shaquille Pellington, otherwise called “Biggs,” of Penwood Lane, Kingston.

A Taurus G3 semi-automatic pistol, containing four rounds of ammunition, was reportedly recovered from Pellington at the scene.

Intelligence reports indicate that Pellington was a major criminal actor in Wailers, Water House and the wider Olympic Gardens area.

Pellington was reportedly a prominent member of the Wailers Gang and had strong associations with criminal networks locally and overseas.

Police further stated that Pellington was linked to several murders and shootings across the St. Andrew South Police Division, including the double murder of Jenkins and Berry.

Intelligence indicates that the Balcombe Drive shooting on October 11 was allegedly planned and organized by Pellington and another man, as reprisal for previous attacks carried out by the Balcombe Drive Gang against Pellington and his associates.

Further checks revealed that Pellington had been charged in connection with the murder of Sequan Grant, otherwise called “Kushie,” which occurred along Bishop Avenue, Kingston, last November.

Pellington had been granted bail by the court.

Police said Pellington also had a lengthy criminal history, having previously been charged for murder, shooting and sexual offences.

The matter has been reported to the Inspectorate and Professional Standards Oversight Bureau (IPROB) and the Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM).

The St. Andrew South Police said while the area is a traditional hot spot, it has not been active or impacted in recent times, but the risk of reprisal is high.

As such, the Balcombe Drive community and its environs are the focus of deliberate police operations and interventions.