Jamaica: Toddler killed in St Andrew shooting, mother devastated by loss

Jamaica: The Maverley community in St Andrew is shocked after a two-year old boy was killed during a gun attack on Grenmeade Road, Monday night, September 15, 2025.

The child, Tajuan Jackson, was with his mother 24-year old Tatiyana Samuels-Powell when gunmen began to fire on a group of people. She is heartbroken, saying she has lost her only child. Powell described the moment as unbearable, remembering the time she was sitting under a tree with Jackson when the shots went off.

“One minute mi holding him, and the next him gone. This is too much. I just want my baby. Oh gosh man, you know my pain. God, my belly bottom is so heavy. Them say mi nuffi question yuh... show me a sign,” she said during an interview with The Star.

The shooting also claimed the life of a 25-year old business owner Kimarley “Beans” Powell. Another was shot and remains in the hospital in stable condition.

Details of the incident

Residents reported that a car entered the area around 7:00 pm. The men in the vehicle opened fire before speeding away from the scene. Bloodstains and bullet holes remain at the site, which serves as a serious reminder of the attack.

Family members described Jackson as a joyful and playful child which brought joy to his mother’s life. As for Powell’s relative, she said that she ran out upon hearing the shots, what she saw was the toddler’s body which was covered in blood. Powell at the time was gasping for breath but died before reaching the hospital.

The tragedy has left relatives and neighbors in a state of shock. Some report that they are too afraid to leave their homes, while children were scared to attend the school the following day.

Grenmeade, one of the areas within the Maverley community, has long been subjected to violence resulting from the surrounding tensions between "Top" and "Bottom" Maverley. The police indicate that combined operations achieved a 6-month peace but residents insist that in reality the violence did not stop.

Senior Superintendent Damien Mandison, who is the head of the St Andrew South Police Division, said that the incident had set back by months the progress they have achieved. He stressed that kids should be safe in their own backyards and asked the public to cooperate with the police.

Mandison identified Courtney "Bloodstain" Ashley, aka "Evil", "Alien," and "Biggs" as an important asset to the investigation. He urged Jamaicans to speak out and to be part of bringing peace back to the community.