Detectives yesterday re-enacted the cold blooded killing of young student Shaundae Jones and urged reluctant witnesses to come forward with information.

The 20-year-old Warwick man was shot in the chest at point blank range as he stood next to a silver MG car directly opposite Club Malabar in Dockyard in the early hours of Sunday, April 27.

Police said several witnesses claimed a tall, black, thin man, wearing a red, long-sleeved top, dark trousers, mask and bike helmet, stood just inches from Shaundae when he pulled the gun and shot him once in the chest.

At first the 100 or so people milling around the area presumed the bang had come from a bike backfiring or tyre, but one woman realised what had happened after she saw Shaundae, who had fallen backwards into the car, shaking uncontrollably.

Det. Insp. Calvin Smith said the masked gunman is then believed to have run from the area, either down the back alley or a back road that leads from the nightclub towards the old Casemates prison, behind the Clock Tower.

“It was about 3 a.m. on April 27 and Shaundae was standing near the silver car (in the no parking section) opposite the club,” said the detective.

“Everybody who had been in the club was outside, and all of a sudden there was a loud bang. “Everyone initially thought it was a car or a flat tyre or a bike or something. It was not until someone saw him shaking in the back of the car and hollered ‘gun shot' that people realised.”

Det. Insp. Smith would not comment on who was in the car, whether or not they were Shaundae's friends, or whether or not he was about to climb into the vehicle when the shooter approached.

But he said they immediately pulled the young man all the way onto the back seat and drove with him to Port Royal Fire Station in Southampton, calling 911 on the way.

An ambulance met the car at the fire station and First Aid was administered, but Shaundae died before reaching hospital.

Detectives on the scene of the murder yesterday said some people had helped them with the case, but they knew there were many more who had not yet come forward.

Det. Insp. Smith urged those people not to be afraid and to help Police with the investigation as much as they could.

He said they had received no reports of trouble inside the club before the shooting, and he said officers had also looked at whether or not the latest shooting had anything to do with the stabbing murder of Tekle Mallory at the Ice Queen take-away in July 2001, but had so far come to the conclusion that there was no link.

Shaundae was best friends with one of the men accused and acquitted of murdering Mr. Mallory, and was also a witness in the trial in January this year.

His mother, Marsha Jones, of Smith's Avenue, Warwick, said her son had received death threats, but she was unsure what they were based on.

However, she also said her son had been involved in a fight in Club Malabar two weeks earlier after someone had deliberately thrown a drink in his face.

There have also been unofficial claims that the shooting was based on rivalry between gangs in Warwick, Somerset and Town.

But, Det. Insp. Smith said: “There is nothing in this inquiry to make us think that there are any warring factions.”

Police spokesman Dwayne Caines said Police were appealing to the whole community to help with the investigation, not just those there on the night.

He said: “A number of these people are young adults, and we believe most young adults have older adults that they confide in.

“If you know a young person who may confide in you, talk to them. A number of people have assisted in this inquiry, however, we are aware that there are many more that need to come forward.”

Det. Insp. Smith said he was appealing for people to approach the Police, but he said as and when officers got names of people who were believed to be there on the night, they may go looking for them, instead, calling on possible witnesses at home.

Anyone with information should call the Major Crime Unit on 299-4315, or the confidential CrimeStoppers helpline on 1-800-623-8477.