Nine Shot, Five Fatally, in Linstead — Police Suspect Gang Conflict Behind Attack
Jamaica Live News Desk– | Oct 6, 2025
A community in shock, families in mourning, and a nation asking why — that’s the reality gripping Linstead, St Catherine, after a brutal mass shooting left five people dead, including a four-year-old girl, and four others hospitalized on Sunday night.
According to police reports, the attack unfolded around 8:45 p.m. at a premises locally known as “Big Yard” in Commodore, Linstead. Residents were gathered, playing games and socializing, when several armed men — dressed in police fatigues — stormed the property.
Shouting “Police!” to disarm suspicion, the gunmen then opened fire with high-powered weapons, hitting all nine individuals on the premises.
Five were pronounced dead at hospital, while the remaining four are being treated for gunshot wounds.
The Victims
Among the deceased is four-year-old Shannon Gordon, a student of Rosemount Primary and Infant School — the youngest victim of what police describe as a “cowardly and senseless act.”
The other victims have been identified as:
- Mario Sullivan, 42, of Rosemount District, Linstead
- Jushane Edwards, 19, of Rosemount District, Linstead
- Iysha Washington, 39, vendor of Rosemount District, Linstead
- Famous Amos, 22, security guard of Commodore District, Linstead
Community members describe the killing of the little girl as “gruesome,” saying she suffered multiple gunshot wounds.
Police Response and Investigation
Assistant Commissioner of Police Christopher Phillips, head of Area 5, visited the scene and condemned the attack, noting that the use of police uniforms by gunmen represents a disturbing new trend in criminal tactics.
“The men parading as law enforcement officers pose a worrying sign,”
said ACP Phillips. “We have a team of top investigators working to put the pieces together to determine what triggered such an awful incident.”
According to Phillips, early indications suggest a continuation of ongoing gang conflict in the Linstead area — part of a violent feud that police have been monitoring for months. The premises where the shooting occurred is reportedly a known hotspot, previously visited by law enforcement during past investigations.
Community Reaction
The Linstead community remains traumatized and fearful. Residents say the sound of high-powered rifles echoed through the night, and some hid under their beds as the gunfire erupted.
Several expressed anger and frustration, accusing authorities of failing to stem long-standing gang violence that has plagued the area.
A resident, speaking anonymously, told Jamaica Live:
“Dem nuh have no heart. A likkle pickney gone — dem wicked! We cyaa live so again. Every week a gunshot inna di place.”
A Growing Pattern
The attack in Linstead adds to a string of gang-related mass shootings that have rocked Jamaica in recent months. Law enforcement officials note that gang rivalries, often tied to lottery scamming, drugs, and reprisal killings, are now spilling over into residential spaces — putting innocent lives, including children, at risk.
Authorities are urging anyone with information to come forward.
The St. Catherine North Police and Major Investigation Division (MID) are leading the probe.
Jamaica Live Analysis
This latest tragedy underscores the ongoing challenge of gang violence and public safety in rural and semi-urban communities. Despite increased police presence and anti-gang operations, criminal networks continue to operate with deadly precision, often outmatching local intelligence efforts.
The fact that the killers posed as police officers is particularly alarming — a tactic that not only erodes trust in law enforcement but endangers legitimate officers on the ground.
As Linstead mourns, Jamaica must confront the painful reality of its violence epidemic — one that continues to claim lives from the cradle to adulthood.
The name Shannon Gordon, just four years old, will now stand as another heartbreaking reminder that no one is safe when crime runs unchecked.