the crime spree began when police attempted to capture him in august. after learning from an informer that he was at the carib hotel, several officers lay in wait for him there. rhyging was in a room with a woman when the police burst in. he grabbed his gun and managed to shoot his way out, leaving one officer, a detective lewis, dead. two other men were wounded: policeman h. e. earle, and ex-sergeant gallimore, a retired officer who was assisting. the killing of lewis led the mayor of kingston, alexander bustamante, to launch a major manhunt. bustamante was a pallbearer at lewis's funeral.