Rasbert Turner, Gleaner Writer
SPANISH TOWN:
THE ST. Catherine North Homicide is now investigating three more murders that occurred in the division over the last 12 hours.
In the first incident, 64-year-old Jonathan Hall of March Pen Road and an unidentified man were shot and killed by gunmen about 6 p.m. on Thursday.
At about 7:30 a.m yesterday, the police were summoned to the Spanish Town bypass. Upon their arrival they found the body of another unidentified male, believed to be in his early 30s, stuffed into a barrel with multiple gunshot wounds to his body.
The Homicide team has theorised that the state of killing is gang related.
When The Gleaner visited the area, several members of the community expressed shock about the killing. Mayor of Spanish Town, Dr. Raymoth Notice, who was among the mourners said that the 'crisis' being faced needs divine intervention.
"We have tried policing and changing policies and this does not work," the mayor said. "At this time I believe the situation calls for the church to come out into the communities alongside the political directorate and the police to see if the heart of these men can be softened."
Superintendent in charge of St. Catherine North, Renford Robinson, said, "When you have a situation where policemen go into a community to deal with crimes and they are stoned, then that is the last straw." He said that a strong police presence will be maintained in the affected areas until some semblance of calm returns.
