Shots fired at homeless gays in Kingston, homeless situation spiraling out of control

Sunday morning August 24th around five was the scene of shots fired from a white Toyota Corolla as the homeless MSMs who were seen walking the streets some dressed as women according an eyewitness. The spot where the men often congregated at nights in New Kingston was blocked off by the new tenants of the defunct popular grocery items store that now houses a gaming lounge and night time spot.

They were hosting an event at the time so no loitering was allowed, the situation indeed is spiraling out of control as the population of homeless men is increasing and so is the uncontrollable behaviour from them as well attracting negative responses from passers-by at the area and elsewhere in general. Lest we forget the police has been cracking down on the men’s activities and only on August 7th as posted on this blog a taxi driver rescued several of them from rowdy men coming from the Independence Day celebratory activities.

According to one of the witnesses they were making their way in a vehicle towards Montrose Road near Vale Royal (The Prime Minister’s Official residence) when he saw two of the men making their way northwards, they were met by others who were approaching, the white Toyota motorcar drove alongside the witnesses vehicle by the stop lights with two men aboard, the men inquired if they men they saw were “battyman” among other rhetoric, the witness said he answered saying he didn’t know while his female passenger commented so what if they were, leave them alone.

The driver of the Toyota proceeded to block the witness’s vehicle supposedly to see the cross dressers as that part of the road is not properly lit, the witness protested by tooting his horns and shouting to the men to move the vehicle so he could pass, the men refused, as the witness proceeded to reverse and make his way around the offending men he saw the driver brandish a gun and pointed it at the men then firing several shots, the men scattered.

The witness said the men shouted to him to move his “bombo*****” away as “battyman fi dead” he tried to reverse and avoid crossing the firing line of the gunman but another vehicle that had stopped behind him temporarily prohibited that from happening, the Corolla’s occupants sped off after the men and as at the preparation of this post no injuries or fatalities were reported or heard of.

Sadly this is what we have left from the controversial closure of the homeless MSMs shelter and the lack of any long-term interventions for this seriously at risk group. The behaviour of the men cannot be excused either reports of men strutting the stretch where they normally congregate allegedly soliciting sexual favours of commercial sexual activity from unsuspecting male passer-by are well talked about and there have been other alleged skirmishes that have not resulted in serious attacks as this.

Where do we begin?

I am afraid that the next time we hear of any incidence with this group it may be worse. By the sound of it the men may have been searching for the cross dressers according to the witness, he feels that is why they questioned him when they drove up on first instance. He surmises that due to the event at the regular spot which by the way is an open secret now to everyone based on the behaviour of the men there, they may have been chased away earlier and then pursued.

Even if this is so the men are clearly in serious danger if they continue to gallivant openly they way they now do. Of course the advocacy folks who didn’t want to engage this group in the first place may be feeling justified by now adopting a “see I told you so” attitude that they are trouble makers so thus no engagement as they fear the repercussions.

So why are they advocates then or who are they advocating for?

Last night August 22nd the hang out spot was clearly empty up until 11pm when I passed by in a car. I spoke to one of the homeless youths in another part of town they said they heard what had happened as he wasn’t with this group but no one was hurt to his knowledge.

As at the preparation of this post there were no police reports filed on this incident.

Any new developments on this story will be added.

Peace and tolerance.

H