KINGSTON, Jamaica — A senseless act of violent crime has shaken St Andrew’s bustling commercial district, after a 68-year-old courier working for a local financial firm was gunned down in broad daylight during an attempted robbery on Half-Way Tree Road Friday afternoon.
The victim has been identified as Lawrence Kessna, a resident of Phase 2 in Seaview Gardens, St Andrew. The fatal shooting followed a physical struggle between Kessna and the would-be robber, who targeted him shortly after he completed a banking transaction, law enforcement officials confirmed.
According to initial police reports, the incident unfolded at approximately 1:22 p.m., when Kessna had visited a local bank branch to cash a J$10 million cheque on behalf of his employer. The funds were earmarked for customer disbursements across multiple distribution sites, and Kessna carried the cash in a plain grey knapsack when he left the bank building.
As Kessna exited, the suspect immediately moved to seize the knapsack. A struggle broke out when the victim resisted the theft attempt, and the attacker — failing to wrest the bag away — drew a weapon and fired multiple shots, striking Kessna in the upper body. Immediately after the shooting, the perpetrator fled the scene on a motorcycle that had been waiting nearby for a getaway. Bystanders alerted emergency services quickly, and police transported the wounded 68-year-old to Kingston Public Hospital, where medical staff pronounced him dead upon arrival. The grey knapsack holding the cash remained with Kessna and was turned over to law enforcement at the hospital.
In the wake of the brazen midday attack, Jamaica’s top law enforcement officials have issued a firm condemnation of the violence, while extending condolences to Kessna’s family, friends, colleagues and the local business community mourning the loss.
“We will not allow criminals to turn our commercial centres into hunting grounds,” said Assistant Commissioner Michael Phipps, head of the Jamaica Constabulary Force’s (JCF) Area Four division. Phipps noted that he has issued direct orders for expanded, sustained high-visibility patrols across St Andrew’s commercial districts, a measure designed to disrupt criminal planning, deter potential attacks, and apprehend perpetrators before they can strike.
Phipps confirmed that investigations into the attack are already underway, with forensic evidence collection ongoing and law enforcement partnering closely with the local business community and other key stakeholders to identify and locate the attacker. Financial hubs across the region have been designated a top priority for both investigative work and increased proactive patrols going forward.
In a public safety advisory released alongside the condemnation, Phipps reiterated a longstanding JCF offer for free police assistance to businesses transporting large sums of cash, urging operators to take advantage of the service to reduce risk.
“We continue to urge business operators to ensure strong security measures when transporting especially large amounts of cash. The JCF continues to alert and advise persons doing large financial transactions and transporting large sums of cash to contact the police who are more than willing to assist, free of charge and I repeat free of charge,” Phipps said.
The assistant commissioner added that public safety remains the JCF’s top priority, with stepped-up operations set to continue in high-risk areas around banks, commercial offices, and ATMs. He urged the public to remain calm but maintain a heightened state of vigilance in these zones.
“The JCF remains committed to restoring order and public confidence. We will not relent until those responsible are held,” Phipps said.