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Widespread curfews have been imposed in Clarendon Central and South and St Catherine South and North areas due to rampant gang activity.
Earlier, on August 11, a shooting occurred on Cherry Tree Lane in Clarendon, leaving eight people dead and nine injured.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Security Dr Horace Chang presented the details at a press conference at the Prime Minister’s Office today (August 12).
“This incident occurred at a time when security forces were carrying out extensive work in these areas. In fact, the number of homicides in all three police districts has dropped significantly,” Dr. Zhang said.
He said Clarendon had seen a 39 per cent drop in homicides this year, reflecting the hard work of all elements of the security force.
Dr. Chang noted that the shooting, which left one child dead and another injured, was particularly traumatic for the community.
“We value the lives of our children. All security forces, the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF), the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) will be mobilised under the auspices of the MOCA (Main Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Agency), led by the police forces in the designated areas. They will have the full support of Government,” the Minister said.
“We will locate, arrest, disrupt and disrupt criminal gangs. The government’s social support services will also be available in communities associated with Cherry Tree Lane and in areas where criminal gangs are operating to disrupt the lives of our citizens,” he added.
Meanwhile, Chief of the Defence Staff Vice Admiral Antoinette Wemyss Gorman said the incident in Clarendon deserved special attention from security forces.
“I have therefore directed a dedicated team to deal with this particular incident in addition to all ongoing anti-gangster task force operations and other security operations. They will assist the JCF in conducting special and targeted operations to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to book,” the Chief of Defence Staff said.
Deputy Police Commissioner Fitzbailey said preliminary investigations showed the attackers used high-powered firearms indiscriminately.
He said the investigation team was working tirelessly to identify the perpetrators and their motives.
“We have deployed additional resources to the affected areas to maintain order, provide support to the victims’ families and ensure the safety of the community,” Mr Bailey said.
He added that police are pursuing multiple theories and investigations into the incident, while adding that police will ensure any form of retaliation is mitigated.
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