91 people killed in Jamaica over 28 days, JCF says murders down 16 per cent

Police investigators were tasked to probe 783 murders in the first eight months of the year, 21 of which occurred during the period August 24 to August 31.

The latest serious crime statistics published by the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) on Sunday, September 1, also show that 91 murders were committed across Jamaica in the last 28 days - August 3 to August 31.

The murder toll, however, represents a 16 per cent decline year on year.

The JCF says at August 31 last year 147 more people were killed.

The murder tally at the corresponding time in 2023 stood at 930.

St James 92, Westmoreland 68, St Andrew South 67, St Catherine South 59 and St Catherine North 58 are the top five divisions with the most homicides since the start of the year.

Portland has the least with seven.

Fourteen of the 19 police divisions are showing a reduction in murders when compared to last year.

Shooting is down three per cent, with 22 fewer incidents than the corresponding period in 2023.

Injured persons, rape, robbery and break-ins are also on the decline.

The mass murders and shooting incidents continued on the weekend which saw seven people being shot, three fatally, at a nine-night event along Mandela Terrace in Hunts Bay, St Andrew.

The deceased are 32-year-old Derrick Goodgame, 23-year-old Kimberley Plummer, and an unidentified man.

Police say around 8:05 p.m. on Friday, the group was gathered at the event when a car drove up.

Armed men exited the vehicle and fire indiscriminately.

During the period August 3 to 24, the nation was rocked by a series of mass murders and shootings in the Clarendon and St Catherine North police divisions.

On August 11 in the community of Cherry Tree Lane in Clarendon, 19 people were shot, eight fatally.

Again on August 20, in Point Hill district, St Catherine, a similar onslaught took place at a wake for the grandmother of entertainer Christopher Martin.

It was reported that eight people were shot, one fatally.

Investigations into the aforementioned incidents are ongoing.

- Andre Williams

Follow The Gleaner on X, formerly Twitter, and Instagram @JamaicaGleaner and on Facebook @GleanerJamaica. Send us a message on WhatsApp at 1-876-499-0169 or email us at onlinefeedback@gleanerjm.com or editors@gleanerjm.com.