By Erica Virtue—-,

MORE DISTURBING details are emerging about Wayne Whyte, one of the three men held in connection with the attempted murder of broadcaster Jody-Ann Gray who was shot three times on Wednesday night.

A former co-worker has described him as “repressed, abusive and aggressive” and recalled his disregard for the welfare of his co-workers at Air Jamaica, where he worked as manager.

“He was one of the most abusive and aggressive employees at the company at that time,” said the source who spoke to The Gleaner on condition of anonymity.

The former co-worker recalled a “violent outburst from him several years ago when another employee with whom he was allegedly having an affair walked past him without acknowledging him”.

According to the source, “it was what he said in the abusive outburst that confirmed that they were having an affair. But to the surprise of many, for his outburst which was made in front of employees and senior personnel, he was suspended for three days!”

Whyte allegedly retaliated by taking 10 days’ sick leave from Air Jamaica, and took to the Kool FM airwaves.

work stress

“When he was spoken to about it, he said it was the stress of Air Jamaica that had contributed to his illness,” the former co-worker recalled.

The employee and others were “shocked when shortly after he was promoted. Everybody wondered who was protecting him because he never got fired for all the violations he committed while he worked at the organisation,” the former co-worker said.

According to a police report from their information arm, Whyte has been described as the boyfriend of Gray, who is seven months pregnant. He is currently being interrogated as a conspirator to the attempted murder of Gray.

Gray is recuperating from surgery which removed a bullet that was lodged in her throat after she was shot three times, as she was about to alight from the car she was driving on reaching her gate in Portmore, St Catherine.

quick response

A police team patrolling the area responded within minutes and the getaway car with three men aboard, including Whyte, was intercepted.

Whyte – along with two other men who were travelling in the car, which had a crudely made fake licence plate #4546 FU that disguised the car’s real licence plates – was taken into custody by the police.

The police have reported that the firearm allegedly used in the shooting was also seized.

The Gleaner also understands that Whyte’s father, now deceased, was a former aide-de-camp to late Governor General Sir Florizel Glasspole. An uncle in rural Jamaica in his 80s is said to be devastated by the unfolding criminal situation of the boy “who was raised in the church, grew up in the church and continued in the church”.

Whyte was the host of a gospel programme on Kool FM, which operates on the Government’s free-to-air-frequency. Government minister Dr Omar Davies, who has overall responsibility for the organisation, has condemned the shooting.

Meanwhile, at least one Kingston school community is said to be reeling from shock after it emerged that one of its most outstanding member of the PTA is involved in what appears to be the attempted murder of Gray.