Foreign criminals involved in Jamaica mass shooting, says PM Holness

Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness has confirmed that criminals abroad and other individuals currently in custody in Jamaica are responsible for the mass shooting that left eight people dead in Cherry Tree Lane, Clarendon on Sunday evening.

The Jamaica Constabulary Force today revised the number of injured to 11. The total number of people shot was 19. So far, only one person has been treated and released from hospital.

At a press conference on Monday morning, Holness described the killings as an attack on every Jamaican and an act of terrorism. “We know that individuals abroad are involved and connected to this act. We know that individuals who are currently in custody are connected to this act. We know that multiple gangs are connected and involved in this act,” Holness said.

Holness vowed to hold those responsible to account, declaring: “Any gang, any individual who in any way facilitated, supplied the weapons, or was involved in pulling the trigger, we will find you… We will not treat this as another criminal act, we will treat this as an act of terror.”

In response to the violence, Holness announced an all-out “attack” on the gangs involved, and on all gangs operating in Jamaica.

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“There is no way that eight people die in one incident in Jamaica and the state acts as if nothing happened… This must never happen again in Jamaica,” he stated.

Holness also revealed that the Jamaican government had given Washington a list of 31 criminals living abroad who were involved in local crimes, following his recent trips to the United States. He noted that cooperation with the US Department of Justice and other US law enforcement agencies continues, but gave no further details on the matter.

Curfew imposed in parts of Clarendon

Following the tragedy, a 96-hour curfew has been imposed in central and south Clarendon, and in south and north St Catherine, where gangs are known to operate.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Security Dr. Horace Chang provided further insight during the press conference, highlighting the continued efforts of the security forces in the area. “This incident comes at a time when the security forces have been doing extensive work in these areas. In fact, there have been significant reductions in homicides in all three police departments,” Dr. Chang said.

He reported that Clarendon had seen a 39 percent reduction in homicides this year, and attributed the improvement to the coordinated efforts of the security forces. Dr. Chang also acknowledged the trauma inflicted on the community, particularly by the death of one child (aged seven) and the injury of another (aged one) in the attack.

“All elements of the security forces, the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF), the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), supported by MOCA (Major Organised Crime & Anti-Corruption Agency), will be mobilised, led by the police force in the identified areas. They will have the full support of the government,” Dr Chang assured the audience.

“We will find, arrest, disrupt and degrade the criminal gangs. The government’s social support services will also be deployed in the relevant community of Cherry Tree Lane and in areas where the gangs have taken action to disrupt the lives of our citizens,” he added.

Read: 8 dead, multiple injured in mass shooting in Clarendon, Jamaica