Popular Old Harbour vendor gunned down at Panton Lane stall

Davis, 47, was serving his loyal customers at approximately 8:30 am when a lone gunman approached him at his usual location at the entrance of Panton Lane. Without warning, the assailant fired, hitting Davis in the upper body. The attacker then fled the scene on foot, melting into the morning chaos.

Patrons and nearby vendors, moments before engaged in the easy commerce of the day, scrambled for cover as Davis collapsed near the very pots from which he had ladled out thousands of meals over two decades selling porridge and soup. 

The wounded entrepreneur was rushed to a nearby hospital by concerned citizens. Despite urgent medical intervention, he succumbed to his injuries while receiving treatment and was pronounced dead.

The brazen daylight shooting triggered an immediate police response, with detectives cordoning off the popular thoroughfare and launching a full-scale murder probe. “Investigators are currently processing the scene and pursuing several lines of inquiry to establish a definitive motive behind this morning’s killing,” a police source indicated, though no arrests have yet been made.

The violent episode brought considerable chaos to the Old Harbour town centre. The police investigation, coupled with the shocked crowd that gathered at the scene, caused a massive pile-up of traffic. Frustrated commuters found themselves trapped in a gridlock that stretched for miles, with some reporting being stuck for more than an hour as the main artery was sealed off for forensic processing.

News of Davis’ death has been met with profound grief, as the Rastafarian entrepreneur was far more than just a vendor. Operating at the mouth of Panton Lane for more than twenty years and a a location where he was born and raised, his porridge was a morning ritual for countless residents, but it was his resilience and gentle spirit that drew lifelong admirers. Tributes are already pouring in for the small-business stalwart, whose daily presence represented the dependable heartbeat of the community — a heartbeat that was cruelly silenced today. 

Police share details on suspect 

Investigators have shared some description of the gunman wanted for the cold-blooded killing of a vendor in what witnesses describe as a chilling, calculated attack at the busy East Street and Panton Lane intersection this morning.

Chief investigator at the Old Harbour Police, Detective Inspector Carl Morris, said the suspect was last seen wearing a red shirt and blue jeans and fled the scene on foot immediately after the shooting. A manhunt is now underway, with the St. Catherine South police urging anyone with information on the suspect’s whereabouts to contact the Old Harbour CIB, the nearest police station, or Crime Stop at 311.

The revelation comes less than eight hours after 47-year-old Davis, a beloved vendor from New Harbour Village 1, and native of Panton Lane, was shot dead at his stall while simply going about his morning routine.

According to police reports, Davis was serving customers around 8:30 a.m. when a lone man approached the stall posing as a customer. The suspect casually inquired about eggs for breakfast before ordering a cup of porridge. Without warning, he reached into a bag, produced a firearm, and opened fire at point-blank range.

Davis sustained a gunshot wound to the head and was rushed to the Spanish Town Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

A second victim, 28-year-old man, was caught in the gunfire and suffered a wound to his foot. He has since been treated and released from hospital.

Investigators have not yet established a motive but say they are pursuing several leads.