The motorcyclist who was gunned down on First Street, Campbellville late Thursday night following a heated argument with two men, was yesterday morning identified as 29-year-old North Sophia resident, Derrick Cort by his relatives who flocked the Lyken’s Funeral Home.
Relatives said that they are clueless as to what might have caused such a brutal ending to Cort’s life and reiterated that the father of two was not involved in “any kind of dirty business”.
Up to press time yesterday none of the gunmen had been captured and the police are continuing their investigations into this latest murder.
Reports indicate that shortly after 10 pm on Thursday, Cort who was heading east along First Street stopped his bike near the Campbellville Post Office. He got off and was arguing with several persons unknown a few metres away.
It was during this that he was shot twice in the back. He died almost instantly.
A resident, who wishes to remain unnamed, told this newspaper that he had retired to bed just before 10 o’clock and about 15 minutes later he heard an explosive sound followed by a scream.
The man said that seconds after this, two more shots rang out and on checking he noticed two men speeding up the road, heading east. According to reports several cars sped by the area minutes after and in the glow of their head lights he realized that someone was lying at the side of the road. No vehicles stopped to check on the person, he said.
Residents placed repeated calls to several police stations and the police hotline number 911 but the numbers rang out.
Eventually contact was made with the police and a mobile patrol was deployed to the area.
It arrived close to 30 minutes after the shooting had occurred. After conducting investigations for more than an hour, the body which was found face down and the motorcycle were removed from the scene.
Residents on Thursday night expressed concern that the area has no streetlights and is very dark at night. They issued a call for lighting along this street.
At his home yesterday all was quiet and his aunt, Clevan Singh said that he had no problems with anyone except the police who are always picking on him.
Singh informed this newspaper that a gun was found in a house that Cort and others were in and he took the blame for it. She said that he spent some time in jail.
The woman described him as a very loving and hard working man.
Meanwhile at the Albouystown home where he grew up, relatives were still in disbelief over the tragedy.
Amidst tears, his cousin Amanda told this newspaper that she doesn’t know what led to his death.
She said that she was at work when she was informed of the incident and rushed down to Lyken’s Funeral Home where her worst fears were confirmed.
The woman said that her cousin has been having problems with the police as a result of a land dispute in the family.
She explained that a policeman’s wife is a part of the dispute and as such the policeman would always be picking on him. She said that he would take him to court frequently for various things adding that he has a pending case in court.
Two brothers and other relatives have been left to mourn Cort’s passing.
