Barbaric attack

WESTERN BUREAU:

A jubilant church service in Montego Bay, St James, was shattered by gunfire on Wednesday, leaving a choir member dead at the doorway as worshippers screamed “Jesus! Jesus!” and fled in panic.

The deceased has been identified as 38-year-old Cora Thompson, a member of the New Testament Church of God on Water Lane in St James, where she worshipped and sang on the choir.

Thompson resided at Humber Avenue in Montego Bay with her 12-year-old son.

Police say Thompson was in the churchyard selling books when she was attacked by a lone gunman wearing a mask, who opened fire before escaping in a black Toyota Voxy.

She was rushed to hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Senior Superintendent of Police Eron Samuels, commanding officer for St James, described the killing as “a very unfortunate incident” and “an attack against the city of Montego Bay”.

“We are very hurt and upset about it, and we will spare no effort to find those responsible,” Samuels said.

Inside the church, congregants had been in a jubilant mood, participating in a period of fasting and being ministered to by a visiting pastor, when the sound of gunshots abruptly halted the service.

The attack plunged the sanctuary into chaos, with worshippers scrambling for cover, some crying out in fear, while others remained frozen in shock.

The congregation, which had also been preparing for Bible study later in the evening, was left dazed and tightlipped in the aftermath, as the day’s worship turned into tragedy.

Bishop Conrad Pitkin, custos of St James, who is not a member of the New Testament Church, lamented what he described as a disturbing erosion of respect for life.

“There is absolutely no respect whatsoever. A young woman’s life – or any life – is being taken without regard,” Pitkin said.

He condemned the attack as barbaric and egregious, especially within a church.

“It is shameless and just goes to show there is no respect for anywhere, including the house of God.”

Pitkin reminisced on the days when one would not even venture into a churchyard with violence, more so in the church.

Pitkin also reflected on the solemn nature of fasting, describing it as a time when individuals deny themselves in prayer, often seeking healing or intervention.

“Can you imagine you are there fasting, seeking something meaningful, and this happens?” he said.

Thompson’s death has deepened the tragedy surrounding her family, as she had been in mourning and awaiting the burial of her spouse, who died of natural causes one month ago. He is scheduled to be buried this Sunday at the ill-fated church.

Wednesday’s killing marks the second fatal shooting of a woman at a church in western Jamaica in recent years. In 2021, Andrea Lowe Garwood was shot and killed by gunmen at a church in Falmouth, Trelawny.

The latest incident has reignited concerns about safety in places of worship, traditionally regarded as sanctuaries, as police intensify their investigation into the motive behind the killing.

janet.silvera@gleanerjm.com