A British man has been shot dead in Jamaica in what police think may have been a contract killing ordered in the UK.
Sean Patterson, a personal trainer from west London, was shot several times by the pool of a villa in Bogue Heights, St James, just after noon on Monday, Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) said.
The JCF said one man has been taken into custody as they continue to work with UK authorities on the investigation.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Fitz Bailey said in a video statement on Wednesday that Mr Patterson has previous convictions in the UK for drugs, violence and firearm offences.
Richards reported that his back was turned to Patterson when he heard several loud explosions sounding like gunshots— Deputy Commissioner of Police Fitz Bailey
He said police believe the 33-year-old was killed in a “contract killing that emanated from Britain”.
A witness reported seeing a “lone man dressed in a black hooded sweatshirt” shooting Mr Patterson with a handgun.
A Foreign Office spokesperson said they are currently “supporting the family of a British man who died in Jamaica and are in contact with the local authorities”.
Outlining details of the investigation, Mr Bailey said Mr Patterson flew to the UK with another man on December 29.
He said the pair met up with Oshane Richards, who lives in Kingston and had been deported from the UK in 2013 after three years in jail for crack cocaine possession, to go to a concert on January 1, in Priory, St Ann’s.
Mr Bailey said the next day, Mr Patterson and Mr Richards went to the pool deck at around midday and were both talking on their phones.
From credible evidence received, Sean Patterson is well-known to the UK authorities and has an extensive criminal record for a number of offences which include narcotics, violence and firearms— Deputy Commissioner of Police Fitz Bailey
He said: “Richards reported that his back was turned to Patterson when he heard several loud explosions sounding like gunshots.
“He reported that he looked around and saw a lone man dressed in a black hooded sweatshirt with a handgun shooting Patterson.
“Richards allegedly ran off (into) the bushes.”
Mr Bailey said police were called to the scene where they found Mr Patterson “clad in grey shorts on his back in a pool of blood with what appeared to be gunshot wounds to the upper body and head”.
“From credible evidence received, Sean Patterson is well-known to the UK authorities and has an extensive criminal record for a number of offences which include narcotics, violence and firearms,” Mr Bailey said.
I’ve lost my baby. No mother should have to bury her child— Lesley Wright
“Our investigation so far has theorised that the murder was a contract killing that emanated from Britain.
“There’s no evidence that Patterson was robbed or has any connection in Jamaica.”
Mr Patterson’s mother, Lesley Wright, told the Daily Mail that her son, who has family in Jamaica on his dad’s side, had travelled to the Caribbean with her godson and one of her best friends.
She said: “I’ve lost my baby. No mother should have to bury her child.”
She also said her son was “the loveliest, sweetest boy and the kindest most happy-go-lucky-man” and not “the argumentative type” so she was at a loss over the motive behind his killing.”
“We hope for justice and that my son’s killer is taken off the street where they can’t hurt anyone else and destroy another family,” she said.
According to the Mail, Mr Patterson had been due to marry his long-term girlfriend in 2023.
