Jamaican government announces all out war against criminal gangs following murder of eight people

Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness Monday said that the authorities will be using Sunday night’s shooting incident that left eight people dead and several others wounded in Clarendon, south of here, to “deal with the gangs once and for all.

“We cannot allow this incident to be treated merely as another criminal act. It is not merely a criminal act. Organized crime violence is an act of terror and we must treat them as criminal terrorists

“The security forces have been given the directions, Operations are already underway from all levels. Intelligence…from in the field, we are seeking the support of our partners to get those who are overseas, who are facilitating, directing and funding the criminal operations here. No stone will be left unturned.

“I want to give the Jamaican people the reassurance that your government will use this as the opportunity to deal with the gangs once and for all,” Holness told reporters following an emergency meeting of the National Security Council (NEC), adding “it is indeed a sad day for all of Jamaica”. Watch video

Police confirmed that eight people were killed when three gunmen alighted a vehicle and fired indiscriminately upon a group of people who were celebrating the birthday of a 26 year-old man.

Those killed have been identified as 27-year-old cosmetologist, Kavel Daley, 50 year-old construction worker, Lawrence Francis, 20-year-old cashier, Diamond Bennett, and eight-year-old Aiden Bartley, a student of Four Path Primary.

In addition, Errol Stewart, a 58-year-old butcher; Jermaine Boothe alias “Blacks,” Courtney Messam alias “Dummbie,” and a woman identified only as Margaret, were also shot and killed.

Police said that a one and a half month old baby is among those injured and Deputy Commissioner of Police, Fitz Bailey, speaking at the news conference said high-powered rifles and handguns were used in the attack.

The authorities have issued a curfew in the area, and Bailey said that the police are following several “significant leads” adding “we will ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice

Bailey had on Sunday night described the incident as one bordering on terrorism, and that the shooting was done to instill fear and intimidate the community.

Holness told reporters that the incident is a “criminal act…it is an act on the public order,” and that it goes beyond the victims.

“It goes beyond the community in which it was perpetrated. It is an attack on every Jamaican. It is an attack on every community. The intention was not only to harm the victims, the intention was not only to spread terror in the local community.

“No this act is designed to spread terror in the nation. This is an act of terror, so it can’t be treated as ordinary crime,” a visibly shaken Prime Minister Holness said, adding that the NEC meeting had gone beyond the time allocated for its deliberations.

“There are many issues involved, issues we will not go into today, but the nation should be assured that we are examining all dimensions of this terror act.

‘We know that persons overseas are involved and connected in this act. We know that persons who are incarcerated presently have connections in this act. We know that multiple gangs are connected and involved in this act.

“Every gang, every person, who in any way facilitated, provided the arms or were involved and pulled the triggers themselves we will find you and we will bring you to justice. I want that to be absolutely clear, we will not treat this as another criminal act,” Holness said.

“We will treat this as an act of terror. Therefore, we have given direction to the security forces to launch an all-out assault on the gangs that are involved. Indeed, any gang that is involved.

‘There is no way that eight persons can be killed in one incident in Jamaica and the state stands as if nothing happens. No, every gang member, every gang will feel the full force of the state today.

“This must never happen again in Jamaica,” Holness said, recalling that last November, he had promised the country that the persons involved in shooting up a public transport that left two children dead would be apprehended and brought to justice.

“Today, I make a similar commitment and everyone who is involved in this will be brought to justice in whichever form the justice is visited upon them,” Holness said, adding “we have played with gangs for far too long”.

National Security Minister Dr Horace Chang told reporters “this most brutal and repressive act” by a criminal gang is ‘totally intolerant and designed to disrupt and terrorize an entire community.

“We will respond with the most severe action to disrupt the criminals and re-assure the law-abiding citizens,” he said, telling reporters that intelligence indicates that inter-gang collaboration played a part in the attack and “we have accepted the recommendations from the security forces of extensive curves across central Clarendon…and south St. Catherine where gangs collaborate”.

He said the incident occurs at a time when the security forces have been doing extensive work in the area and there have been significant declines in murders.

He said all elements of the security forces will be mobilized and will also have the backing of the government.

“We will find and apprehend, disrupt…the criminal gangs,” Chang said, adding “all actions will start immediately”.

For the period January to August 3 this year, Jamaica has recorded 692 murders as compared with 820 for the corresponding period.