Jamaica hospital mourns slain Vincentian doctor

KINGSTOWN: The Jamaica Observer newspaper reported Tuesday that the Accident and Emergency Unit at the University Hospital of the West Indies was only accepting emergency cases, as staff at the facility mourned the passing of Vincentian Dr. Ken Nanton who was shot dead in Jacks Hill, St Andrew, Thursday night.{{more}}

The Observer said the unit, which was closed for three hours Monday morning, later reopened to accept emergency cases.

“The whole incident has devastated the workers,” said Stephanie Reid, the hospital’s chief executive officer. “We gave them time to reflect and grieve.”

Nanton, a former St. Vincent Grammar Shcool student, was assigned to the Accident and Emergency Unit at the University Hospital. He was shot dead at about 11 last Thursday night when he tried to flee from a gunman in his blue Toyota Hilux Surf sports utility vehicle at the “lookout point” on Skyline Drive in Jacks Hill, St Andrew.

The Observer report said police reported that the medical doctor was approached by a gunman who ordered him out of the vehicle, in an apparent robbery attempt. Nanton, according to the cops, refused the gunman’s order and made an attempt to drive away when he was shot.

While the Observer report said police did not say if anyone was in Dr. Nanton’s company at the time of his death, neither did they explain how they came by the information as to how he was killed. The Jamaica Gleaner reported that he was in the company of a nurse.

The Observer report said when the police arrived on the scene of the murder, “Nanton’s lifeless body was seen slumped over in the driver’s seat of the SUV. The doctor was hit five times – once in the left armpit, right breast, back of the left shoulder and twice in the upper right arm. The bullets also shattered the back windscreen and front left window of the vehicle. Five 9mm spent shells were found on the scene,” investigators said.

Jacks Hill and Red Hills, also in St Andrew, are areas that persons wanting to get a panoramic view of the city of Kingston usually go. The Observer said it is likely that Dr. Nanton may have been enjoying the bird’s-eye view when he was surprised by the gunman.

He was described by the Jamaican paper as loved by his co-workers.

Dr. Ken Nanton, 29, is the son of Ian and Mildred Nanton of New Montrose. Ian Nanton is the head of Corea’s & Hazells Lumber Yard. Ken was the 1994 Island Scholar .

He will be buried on Saturday at the Kingstown Evangelical Church at Victoria Park, Kingstown.