Three men killed in Hanover

The farming community of St Simon in Lucea, Hanover, was rocked by a triple murder last night.

Three men were shot at a shop in what is reported to have been a drive-by shooting shortly before 10 o’clock.

Residents say the gunmen appeared to have smashed the bulb of a streetlight, plunging the area into darkness, before shooting the men who were all relatives.

Their names have not yet been released.

There was also an alleged shoot-out between police and gunmen who were travelling in a motorcar in the neighbouring community of Bachelors Hall, shortly before that incident. 

However, those gunmen fled from the car and ran into bushes.

Former Governor General, Sir Kenneth Hall expressed grave concern about the crime levels in Hanover, which up to a decade ago, was ranked as Jamaica’s safest parish.

He said he was appalled that the parish of his birth, which was one of Jamaica’s safest up to 10 years ago, was now ranked as one of the most crime-ridden parishes in the island. 

He also said the rise in crime is inextricably linked to the underdevelopment of the parish over the years.