POLICE on Monday said a shopkeeper who was allegedly murdered because he was believed to have given them information about the killers of former Jamaica Urban Transit Company chairman, Douglas Chambers, was very uncooperative and gave them no statement.

The dead man, Howard Bryan, was killed on Saturday after three gunmen barged into his home at New Nursery in Twickenham Park, Spanish Town and shot him several times as he slept.

But Deputy Superintendent Derrick Champagnie of the Spanish Town police said Bryan, who is also called 'Icofree', and who operated a small shop in front of the bus depot where Douglas was killed on Michael Manley Boulevard, gave them no information.

Bryan was one of several persons who were outside the bus depot when two armed men approached Douglas and started shooting. Police questioned several persons on the scene in the aftermath of the murder.

"The man was very hostile to the police when he was approached. He gave us nothing,' Champagnie told the Observer.

New Nursery, also known as 'Fish Ground', is a known Klansman gang enclave and is the area where Chambers' attackers fled after shooting him.

The area has been tense since Saturday. In fact, when the Observer sought to get information on Monday, the residents were unwilling to talk about the incident.

"He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life," a female resident said Monday.

Police were also tight-lipped about the progress of the homicide investigation, but Champagnie renewed an appeal for persons who witnessed Chambers' killing to assist the police in their probe.

"The investigations are moving smoothly and we are again appealing for people to come in with information," Champagnie said.

Chambers was killed as he took a break from meeting with union officials concerning job cuts at the bus company. Despite receiving death threats weeks before, Chambers was said to have refused an offer of state security.

A reward of $500,000 has been posted for information leading to the capture of his killers.