Everton Salkey was not her biological son, but his death the night before ruined Mother's Day for her.

Edna Salkey, Everton's stepmom, said she was especially devastated by the bravado of the gunmen who shot him at the entrance to the Central Kingston Police Station.

"When I heard him die, I feel like I couldn't make it. I didn't sleep for the whole night, I stay up the whole night and never get any shut-eye, because I miss him. I feel like it's my child, and I feel it to my belly bottom," she told The Gleaner yesterday, the pain in her voice obvious.

According to reports from the Constabulary Communication Network, shortly after 9:10 p.m. on Saturday, Everton Salkey was driving a bus, registered 4869 EF, which plies the Papine to downtown Kingston route.

Gunmen board bus

On reaching downtown, three men on-board the vehicle, one armed with a gun and the others with knives, robbed passengers of money and cellular phones. Salkey attempted to drive on to the compound of the police station when the gunman opened fire, hitting him.

Police personnel at the station responded and one of the robbers was held.

Father furious

The deceased's father, Westley Salkey, is furious at his son's senseless murder.

"I told them down at Central (police station) last night that them must hang the man them as soon as dem catch dem. Don't mek dem eat out the taxpayers' money," said the irate father.

Wife Edna also shares his regret.

"You see, I am a sickly person and any time I ask him to carry me to the doctor in Morant Bay, he would. He would never frown or make up his face whenever I asked him to do anything for me," she said.

At least nine persons - including a policewoman - were slain on the weekend as the homicide toll, which stands above 500, continues to climb.

Special Corporal Cynthia Patterson, 41, of the Harman Barracks police, who was assigned to the Supreme Court. Patterson succumbed to injuries after she was found suffering with gunshot wounds some time after 5 a.m. Saturday.