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East Kingston under State of Emergency

Published:Sunday | January 26, 2020 | 12:00 AM

A State of Emergency is now in effect in East Kingston. 

Prime Minister Andrew Holness said he petitioned the governor-general sometime after midnight to make the declaration.

Holness made the announcement this morning at Jamaica House in St Andrew.

Police Commissioner, Major General Antony Anderson, said there were 33 wanted persons and 34 violence producers in the police division.

During 2019, East Kingston recorded murders shot up 16 per cent and shooting 49 per cent, according to police statistics. 

According to the police commissioner, 67 per cent of shootings in the East Kingston police division was related to gang activity.

Since the start of 2020, East Kingston recorded 11 murders in comparison to three last year.

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